Upheaval: Breaking Point
by Visiden Visidane
Summary: Equestria is a land of magic and harmony, a peaceful realm ruled by immortal,benevolent monarchs. But at what cost is this possible? A fateful encounter leads Twilight Sparkle to find out exactly how.
1. Misplaced Objects

**Upheaval: Breaking Point**

**Chapter 1: Misplaced Objects**

"Come along, Spike! I'm sensing more gems over there!"

For the baby dragon who had been spending all afternoon digging holes and dragging a cartload of gems through the woods, that melodious voice was both a drink of water and a quick break rolled into one. "I'm coming, Rarity!" Spike answered. He stretched his shoulders, and pulled the cart onward. The clinking of gems bouncing, as the wheels rolled over the uneven ground, sounded tempting. His mouth watered at the mere thought of the fine meal just behind him, but he didn't dare touch a single bauble. Rarity was making a dress for another bigwig pony who wanted to look like dragon bait, and he had the honor of contributing a few hours of mostly unpaid, backbreaking labor towards that goal. He approached the clearing where Rarity was waiting for him.

"Right here, Spike," Rarity said. "It's a large cluster this time."

"One large cluster of gems coming right up!" Spike replied. He tore through the soft ground with practiced ease. One shallow hole later, a cache of finely cut gems sparkled in the sunlight.

"Excellent!" Rarity said. "This should be more than enough. Thank you again for helping me."

"No problem, Rarity," Spike answered. He was beaming as he loaded the gems unto the cart. 'Mostly unpaid,' he had thought earlier, but the appreciation of the most beautiful pony in Equestria and a gem from the pile were more than enough payment for all his hard work. "May I add that it is always my pleasure to be able to…Rarity?"

Spike looked up at her. Her horn was glowing, a sign that she had detected another cluster of gems nearby. Instead of running off to where the gems were, she just stood there with a puzzled look on her face. "Rarity, are you alright?" he asked her. When she didn't reply, he reached up and tapped her with a claw. Startled, she gasped and then looked at him. "What's wrong? Is it another cluster of gems?"

Rarity looked around, dazed. After a moment of silence, she replied. "Yes and…no. I'm sensing something but…I don't know. I've never picked up anything like this with my magic. These aren't just some gems."

Not sure of what he should make of her comments, Spike shrugged. "Well, it must be a really special bunch of gems! We should get them. They'd taste real goo- I mean they might really look good on a dress!"

"You're right," Rarity answered. "This could be the dress to put my star at the center of the fashion world!" She galloped deeper into the woods. "Hurry, Spike! This way!" she called out.

"Hey! Wait!" Spike called after her. "This cart is heavy, you know!"

They were deep into the woods by the time Spike had caught up with Rarity. When he did, he found her staring at a small cave entrance by an outcropping of rock. Her horn was still glowing as she looked forlornly at the hole. "Ugh, I hate caves!" she said. "And this one looks like a tight fit. I'll be covered in dirt if I crawl through that!"

"Never fear, Spike is here!" Spike announced. Here was yet another chance for him to show off. The entrance should be just the right size for him.

"Oh, would you, Spike? The gems are just inside that cave. If you could go in and get them, I'd be so grateful!"

With a nod, Spike hurried inside, lest his swelling ego got him stuck halfway through the opening. To his relief, the cave was actually much bigger past the entrance. He realized that the entrance had been partially blocked by a pile of rocks, likely from a cave-in. He looked around. The gems should be nearby. He sincerely hoped that they didn't happen to be part of another dragon's pile. He wasn't going to touch another one of those ever.

"Spike?" Rarity called from outside. "Did you find them yet?"

Spike looked around some more. The cave was nothing more than a single chamber with a ceiling just high enough to fit a pony, and with enough space to fit four without squeezing. The uneven stone floor felt damp under his feet. The only light source in the cave came from the entrance, making it difficult to get a good look at anything. The cluster of gems should just be around…

"There!" In the corner of the cave was a single, dimly glowing, turquoise sphere that was the size of a large apple. From a distance, it looked perfectly smooth and facet-less. He hurried over to get it. That beauty would surely get him a lot of points with Rarity. Maybe even a kiss!

His foot caught against something, sending him falling face first to the floor. He stood up, rubbed his aching nose, and looked at what had tripped him up. It appeared to be a white piece of wood, perhaps a tree root or something. He looked at the thing closer and then screamed.

"Spike?" Rarity called from the entrance. "Are you alright in there?"

Spike edged away from what had tripped him. It wasn't a tree root at all. It was a bone. The foreleg of a pony skeleton splayed across the cave's floor. The bones were clean and dry. They must have been there for ages. The skeleton was still wearing the ragged remains of what clothing it had in life. What had happened here? Was this a tomb? Spike shook his head. The skeleton didn't look like it was placed neatly here. From the way it was positioned, it looked like some poor pony crawled into this cave a long time ago and then died.

A chill crawled up Spike's spine as he continued to stare at the pony's remains. For a moment, he was frozen in place, unsure of what to do.

"Spike?" Rarity called out again.

Spike forced himself to look away from the skeleton. He went over to the gem and grabbed it. At once, he shuddered at the feel of the stone in his claw. It was perfectly smooth, as he had expected. It was also warm to touch, and made his scales tingly. Regardless, he left the cave with the gem in his claws, and presented it to Rarity.

"Oh my!" Rarity gasped. "That looks absolutely gorgeous! It's going to be the crowning jewel on my masterpiece! Wait, imagine it on a tiara! Or on a scepter!" She reached out to touch the sphere. Upon touching it, however, her excitement changed to puzzled wonder. "It's warm," she remarked.

"Weird, huh?" Spike asked.

"Not just warm. It's magical. Can you feel it? It's positively humming! What was in that cave, Spike?"

"Well, there was a skeleton and-!"

"A skeleton! Why didn't you tell me? This thing could be cursed!"

"Not with the curses again!" Spike groaned. "I thought you'd like it!"

"And I do." Rarity answered. "But…I know! Why don't you have Twilight have examine it first? She might know what it is. If it's safe, you can bring it to me."

"Well, that's true," Spike said. "Twilight would have an idea what this is."

The sphere continued to glow a soft turquoise as the two made their way back.

* * *

><p>"Spike, I have no idea what this is."<p>

Twilight Sparkle held the sphere up with her telekinesis, staring at it with fascination as it caught the light in her house. The gem was definitely magical. It hummed softly the moment she picked it up with magic. Having it near her made her feel tingly all over, especially around her horn. She set it down on a table, and then levitated several books from their shelves. "Look up 'Magical Artifacts'," she said. "Maybe we can find a reference."

Spike was already flipping through the pages of the book. He seldom felt a lot of enthusiasm for any of Twilight's research endeavors, but the sooner he could confirm that the sphere was flashy but harmless, the sooner he could give it to Rarity. He took note of where the gift wrapping was stored in the house. He was probably going to need some soon. To his disappointment, nothing in the book even remotely resembled the gem. "See anything?" he asked.

"No," Twilight answered in a disappointed tone. She set down "Arcane Gems", and picked up another book. "What else did you see in that cave?"

"Nothing else. Just the skeleton and that thing."

"No clothes or other items?"

"Just some rags from whatever it was wearing. It looked like it's been there for a long, long time."

"What did the rags look like?"

"Uh…like rags?"

"I mean the color or patterns. Something that might clue us in on who or what that pony was."

"Um…" Spike scratched his head. "I don't remember," he said. "Now that you mentioned it, I did leave that cave pretty quickly. I might have missed some stuff."

"Well it's settled , we're going to that cave, and giving it a thorough search. We should also give that poor pony a proper burial."

"I don't know, Twilight. Maybe we should leave it alone. There's something really scary about that place. While I was in there, I felt like…like…"

"Like you shouldn't be there?" Twilight suggested.

"No! Like _it_ shouldn't be there! It was like I was just minding my own business here at home, and then some stranger just walked in without saying anything."

Twilight's brows furrowed. "That's weird," she thought out loud, "but also more reason to check it out. If we don't find anything, I think we should visit Canterlot to use the library there. It might even be necessary to ask Princess Celestia about this thing."

"If you say so, Twilight," Spike said with a yawn. "I'm going to bed. Dragging that cart around is hard work!"

"Good night, Spike," Twilight said. She set another book aside and looked around sleepily. She gave the sphere on her desk one last look, and then headed to her bed.

* * *

><p>The next day, Spike found himself wandering the woods once more. He wasn't looking for gems this time, and it wasn't Rarity he was walking with. Both facts contributed to the reason why there wasn't a lot of spring in his step, despite not having to drag a load of gems behind him. He wasn't exactly thrilled to see the skeleton again either.<p>

"Are you sure that it's this way, Spike?" Twilight asked from behind him. She was carrying a bag holding a few books that she felt might help and the strange gem.

"Yes, I'm sure!" Spike snapped. It was the third time that Twilight had asked him that question and it had grated on him the first time.

"It's just that we've been walking for a long time now, and I think we just went in a circle," Twilight said gently.

"It's around here somewhere!" Spike said. "I remember going this way! There's that stand of trees, and those bushes, and-!" His eyes narrowed. The landmarks were all there. The cave should be nearby. He looked around more carefully until his eyes finally landed on a particularly rocky spot. "There it is!" he exclaimed.

The two of them hurried over to the spot. "I don't see any cave, Spike." Twilight said.

"It should be around here!" Spike said in frustration. "A hole doesn't just get up and walk away…here it is! No wonder it was so hard to find, it's gotten smaller!"

"Smaller?" Twilight asked. "How?"

"Looks like some of the rocks fell over, and blocked even more of it. It's going to be a tight squeeze, even for me," Spike said.

"Don't worry about it. You said that the cave is big enough inside, right?"

"Yeah. You should fit in easily."

"Alright. I'll just teleport in while you squeeze through."

"Gotcha."

Twilight's eyes narrowed in concentration, her horn glowing as it gathered magical energy. Spike was about to squeeze into the hole, when an unfamiliar buzz made him pause. That wasn't a sound he normally associated with Twilight's teleportations. He looked behind him, and saw the crackling aura of blue-white magical energy surrounding her. "Twilight, what are you doing?" he asked in alarm.

"I don't know!" Twilight cried out. "I just cast a teleportation spell!"

"The gem!" Spike yelled. "It's the gem! Get rid of it!"

Sure enough, the aura was emanating from Twilight's bag. Before she could reach for it, another surge of magical energy exploded from her. The force hurled Spike against the outcropping of rock, as it enveloped her as quickly as it had emerged. There was a loud hum, and a flash of light. After that, everything fell silent.

And Twilight Sparkle had disappeared.

"Twilight?" Spike asked as he looked around. He scrambled into the cave, in case she had indeed teleported there. The cave's silence greeted him coldly in response. He looked around even more, climbing up the outcropping to get a better view. He didn't see anypony. "Twilight?" he called out. There was no response from anywhere. "Twilight!" he shouted. Still no response. Alone, he fell on his tail, covered his face, and started to sob.

* * *

><p>The moment the flash of light dazzled her vision, Twilight Sparkle found herself falling, as if she had been standing on a rug that somepony pulled from beneath her, except she kept on falling instead of hitting the floor. She recognized the feeling as that of a teleportation spell; a badly-miscast, out-of-control teleportation spell. She remembered her first teleportation, a disastrous attempt that ended with far too many rose thorns being pulled out of very hard to reach places. Her vision was still painfully dazzled when she hit the ground. Or at least she hit something. The ground was a little softer than she remembered, and it quickly shifted from beneath her, as if it were trying to shake her loose.<p>

"Terrato's blood-smeared hooves, get this thing off me!" somepony yelled. A feminine voice by the tone. When Twilight focused, she realized that somepony was yelling from beneath her. As her vision cleared, she did her best to scramble away. Before she could do so, the thing beneath her heaved violently, hurling her to the very hard, very cold ground.

"It's a pony!" somepony else shouted. This one came from above her. "Those crazy wolven are chucking ponies around now!"

"The wolven didn't chuck this one anywhere, Scarlet, I saw her materialize right above Pyre Valor," a third voice spoke.

Twilight's vision finally cleared. She got to her hooves unsteadily, and looked around. She found herself flanked by two ponies. To her right was an earth pony; a big, brown stallion with a cropped, corn-yellow mane. He wore some gray-plated barding around his chest, neck, and flanks like the royal guards did. He appraised her coldly with heavy-lidded, light blue eyes.

An angry white unicorn stood to Twilight's left. Her wild, black mess of a mane covered her head and shoulders, spilling across a thickly padded coat that protected most of her neck and torso.

Twilight heard the flapping of wings above her and guessed that there was a pegasus hovering there. She didn't look up however, the sight of the unicorn was too menacing to turn her attention away. She backed away slightly, unsure of whether to talk or run.

After a moment of silence, the stallion spoke again. "Pyre, look at her flank," he said.

The pegasus above them laughed. "Well you're quick to look at that direction, Blademane! Didn't take you for a flank-stallion!"

"Quiet!" the unicorn snapped. She looked at Twilight carefully, her eyebrows furrowing deeper when her brown eyes focused on Twilight's cutie mark. Her nostrils flared as she recognized it. "Chosen!" she snarled. "Blademane!"

"Wait! Wha-!" Twilight cried out. Before she could move, the brown stallion charged, knocking her over. She struck the ground side-first. Before she could recover, he pinned her in place with his heavy, metal-shod front hooves. "If I see that horn glow, you'll be pulling pieces of it from where the sun doesn't shine, chosen," he said, his baritone voice menacing.

"What is going on?" Twilight groaned weakly. The stallion's weight on her shoulders was crushingly heavy. "Who are you ponies?"

The unicorn walked over, and slammed a hoof against Twilight's face. The vision in her left eye went black for a few seconds, followed by a searing pain that quickly turned into a swelling numbness. Tears sprang from her eyes and she tasted something metallic. "You'll speak when spoken to, chosen," the unicorn hissed, "and we'll be the ones to ask the questions!"

"Can I skin her flank before we kill her?" the pegasus asked. "That star symbol thing would look fetching on my barding!"

"Nopony is skinning anypony," said a fourth voice from behind Twilight. On reflex, she tried to look, but she was still pinned to the ground. "Let her up, Blademane."

Twilight felt the crushing pressure ease. She tried to get up, but only managed to struggle to knees. Blademane walked over to stand with the irate unicorn. On instinct, she turned her gaze towards the newcomer. Against the unicorn's enraged hostility, the earth pony's cold brutality, and pegasus's casual threats, the newcomer seemed to offer some refuge. To her surprise, she found herself looking at a walking, pony-shaped mass of black metal. She had seen barding before, on Princess Celestia's Royal Guard, but even those stern, golden-barded ponies were skimpily clothed compared to this pony. Only the eyes, nostrils, and mouth served as signs that there was something alive under all that metal. Even his legs were hidden by a cloth covering, a caparison, she recalled from a book somewhere. She guessed that he was a gray earth pony. From his tail, she could tell that he also had curly, black hair. He was a little smaller than the brown stallion who had been pinning her, but his presence made him tower over all of them.

The unicorn stepped forward, her face a warring mixture of protest and resignation. "Captain, she's a chosen! Look at her flank!"

The heavily-armored pony answered in a deep, growling tone. He sounded more like a wolf than a pony to Twilight. "I can see the big, elaborate star on her flank, vice-captain. The last time I checked, the wolven haven't gouged my eyes out."

"The captain's a flank-stallion too!" the pegasus above them crowed. "Oh day of revelations!"

Her protest ignored, the unicorn focused her angry stare above them instead.

The black-armored pony turned his attention on Twilight, who quivered a little under the intense stare. "You've broken some of your Princess Celestia's very important laws to go where you shouldn't be, chosen," he said softly. "I hope, for your sake, that you can bear the consequences."


	2. The Prince's Legion

**Upheaval: Breaking Point**

**Chapter 2: The Prince's Legion**

"You've broken some of your Princess Celestia's very important laws to go where you shouldn't be, chosen."

The black-armored pony's words struck Twilight even harder than the white unicorn's blow. She had always prided herself as Princess Celestia's favored and most trusted protégé. The mere thought of breaking any law, even the smallest one laid down by the princess, made her guts twist violently. "But I haven't done anything!" she protested. Her own outburst against these hostile strangers surprised her. She struggled to her hooves, succeeding after a few shaky tries.

"You've come to this place, and you've seen us," the black-armored pony replied. "Your princess has taken great pains to keep either from happening. While my squad is not going to kill you, chosen, I can't say if the same will be true for her."

"You're lying," Twilight said indignantly. "Princess Celestia would never kill anypony. How dare you badmouth her!"

The black-armored pony walked towards Twilight slowly. She could feel the ground beneath him shake with each step he took. She noticed one more odd thing about him. Strapped to his back was what appeared to be a staff of some sort, tightly wrapped in white cloth. Despite her indignation and resolve to face these ponies, she took a few more steps back as he approached. "If she believed that it would protect her realm from a disaster she has been trying to prevent for more than a thousand years, do you believe she still wouldn't?" he asked.

"I-I don't understand," Twilight replied. She wanted to believe that this pony was only mocking her, but he spoke gently and patiently.

"I don't understand either!" the unicorn behind him shouted. "Why should we bother keeping this chosen alive? I say we kill her, and use her as wolven-bait!"

"But it's not your say, is it?" the dark-armored pony answered. His patient tone cracked as he glanced back to the rest of the ponies standing behind him. "I ordered you to set up camp, vice-captain. The sun's going down, and I don't see one!" He looked up sternly at the pegasus. "Scarlet, you should be on reconnaissance by now!"

With one last glare at Twilight, the angry unicorn turned around and walked away. Blademane was right behind her. She also noticed that the steady flapping of wings above her had disappeared. For the first time since she came out of the teleportation spell, she became truly aware of her surroundings.

A rocky plain stretched out as far as Twilight could see, with patches of short grass and bushes scattered across it. There were mountains by the horizon, though they were difficult to make out. The sky was overcast with gray, shapeless clouds. Though the sun couldn't be seen, the steadily failing light meant that night was approaching. Twilight wondered just where the miscast teleportation had taken her. After that quick look around, she returned her focus on whom she assumed to be their leader. "Who are you ponies?" she asked.

"Even out here, it's customary to give your name first before asking for somepony else's," he replied.

"Oh, um…sorry," Twilight said. "Being attacked by strangers after landing in the middle of a strange place made me forget my manners. My name is Twilight Sparkle."

A ghost of a smile seemed to crease the stallion's lips. "I am Captain Vanguard Clash, of the Northern Equestrian Legion. The angry unicorn setting up camp over there is Pyre Valor, the earth pony who stepped on you is Blademane, and the pegasus who was flying around here earlier is Scarlet Rabbit."

"Northern Equestrian Legion?" Twilight asked. "I've never heard of that before."

"Not surprising," Vanguard replied. "You're not supposed to." He gestured for Twilight to follow, and walked over to where the other ponies were. She noticed a pile of twigs and bits of wood on the ground. Pyre Valor walked over, and pointed her glowing horn at the pile. A quick flash of magic set the kindling ablaze. Vanguard Clash sat just a few feet away, and motioned for Twilight to sit next to him.

Seeing that Pyre Valor was glaring at her once more, Twilight did as he asked, and edged away from the other unicorn. "Why shouldn't I know about the Northern Equestrian Legion?" she asked.

Vanguard quietly stared at the fire for a while. Twilight waited patiently. So far, he was her only chance at finding out more on what she had gotten herself into, as well as the only one who was going to be even remotely helpful.

"The Legion… does things out here that would only cause disruptions if they became common knowledge," Vanguard finally answered.

"Oh, stop coddling her, Vanguard!" Pyre Valor stomped her hoof. She had taken a seat directly across Twilight, the firelight making her scowling visage even more menacing. Just a foot to her right sat Blademane, who was content to quietly watch the fire. "Nopony in the Heartland knows about us because your mighty and wonderful Princess Celestia likes to pretend that her realm of peace and rainbows doesn't need us!"

Twilight stared at Pyre Valor. "What?" she asked.

"That's enough, Pyre," Vanguard said sternly.

"She should know," Pyre Valor hissed. "All of the Heartland should know!"

"That's not for us to decide!"

"If not us, then who?" Pyre Valor picked up a twig, and snapped it in two before tossing it to the fire.

"We're bringing her to the fort once the mission is done. We'll present her to his highness afterwards."

"She isn't worth a second of our prince's time," Pyre Valor muttered. "None of them are."

"Prince?" Twilight asked. "His highness?"

"Our prince," Pyre Valor said proudly. For once, her angry expression gave way to something else, pride. "Prince Terrato: Ruler of the Barrier Lands, Defender of Equestria, and a damn better ruler than your nag of a princess!"

"He's also a pony who won't appreciate having his eldest sister called a nag," Vanguard added.

"Nopony is perfect," Pyre Valor groused. "Not even alicorns."

"_Eldest_ sister?" Twilight asked. "B-but-!" she spluttered. "Princess Celestia never mentioned she had a brother!"

"You're in luck then," Vanguard replied. "You're going to meet him as soon as we complete our mission. He'll decide what's to be done with you."

"You're _seriously_ going to bring her along on this mission?" Pyre Valor asked.

"She won't make it to the fort alone," Vanguard replied. "We can't afford to send somepony off to escort her either. Besides, a unicorn with enough magical power to go through Celestia's barrier might be useful."

"Or she could just-!"

"Captaaaaaaaain!"

The distant yell broke through the conversation before Pyre Valor could finish. All of them turned towards where it came from, and found Scarlet winging his way towards them. Despite the steadily worsening darkness, Twilight could see enough to tell that he was red, as befitted by his name. She didn't have to squint for long, however. Scarlet Rabbit moved from being a distant figure to right in the middle of camp so quickly that she gasped involuntarily. Up close, she noticed that his mane was a much darker hue of red, tied off into a long, simple pony tail. Like Blademane, he also wore some barding around his face, chest, and flanks. His barding didn't look metallic, however.

"I found him!" Scarlet Rabbit said. His voice trembled, and he hopped in place as he spoke. His green eyes, wide in anticipation, practically gleamed in the dark. "He's not that far, and he's about to meet with some wolven! A whole pack of them!"

"Wretch," Vanguard growled. "So, he really has sold us out." He turned his attention towards the rest of his squad, who were already getting to their hooves. "Move out! We're intercepting that exchange." He shifted his gaze towards Twilight. "You're coming along." With that, he galloped towards the direction Scarlet Rabbit pointed out, with the rest of them following.

"Wait!" Twilight called out. She jumped to her hooves, and followed them. Despite all their armor, they ran swiftly. Scarlet Rabbit had flown off into the distance the moment Vanguard told them to move out. She found herself struggling to keep up as they kept going. She was tired, hungry, and her face was still aching.

Seeing that Twilight was lagging behind, Vanguard gestured for his second to take the lead. He slowed his pace to gallop next to her. "Stay close to Pyre Valor," he said. "You'll both be casting spells once a fight breaks out. Just follow her lead, and you'll be fine."

"But she hates me!" Twilight protested, her words coming out between pants.

"True," he replied, "but she hates wolven even more. If you don't get between her and the enemy, you won't end up roasted."

Twilight swallowed nervously, and nodded without a word. She had to save her breath for galloping. Her heart was racing, and it wasn't just from exertion. These ponies were heading towards a fight. They certainly acted like this wouldn't be the first one either, and she was about to be dragged along into their next one. If that wasn't troubling enough, her conversation with Captain Vanguard gave her a hoofful of questions for a pinch of answers. What were these wolven, and why did they have to be fought? Where was she? What was the Northern Equestrian Legion? Why wouldn't Princess Celestia want her to find out about either?

"Hold!" Vanguard called out after several minutes of hard galloping.

The other ponies stopped quickly in response, with Scarlet descending next to them. By the time Twilight shoved aside all the things running in her mind, she was about to run right into Pyre Valor. Her hooves skidded against the ground in a desperate attempt to stop, which she managed to do with only a light bump against the other unicorn's flank.

Pyre Valor turned on her so fast that she had to stifle a yelp.

"Vanguard wants you alive to be shown to our prince, chosen," Pyre Valor hissed, "but get in my way and I'll show you how much room 'alive' gives you for interpretation!"

"Quiet!" Vanguard growled. He hunkered down, and signaled the others to follow. "I can see their campfire over there. Scarlet, what exactly are we up against?"

Even though Scarlet had hunkered down like the others, his tail was twitching in excitement. "Mostly scouts," he replied. "A few skirmishers too."

"What about Cold Hoof?" Pyre Valor asked.

"Oh, he's there," Scarlet Rabbit answered. "He's probably given them his info."

"That settles it then," Vanguard said. "Recover the information first. Then deal with Cold Hoof. Clean up the rest once that's accomplished."

Twilight squinted at the distant lights of the wolven's campfires. They haven't been seen yet mostly because it was now completely dark, but also because they were still a good distance from them. Unfortunately, that also meant that she could hardly see what these wolven looked like. She could see some four-legged silhouettes shaped like dogs. They were big, each likely the size of a pony. Each one of them had long, wild fur. Other than that, she couldn't make out anything else, although, from the name and what she had seen so far, she guessed that they resembled wolves. There was something else that Vanguard had mentioned as well. "Who's Cold Hoof?" she asked. "That's sounds like a pony's name."

"He _is_ a pony," Scarlet Rabbit answered. "I shared a couple of rounds with him. Nice pony."

"Are we here to rescue him then?"

"No," Scarlet Rabbit replied cheerily. "He's a traitor who's selling out the layout of our fort to the wolven. We're here to kill him, and get it back."

"No more talking," Vanguard said. "We're moving in." He reached for his back with one hoof, and pulled out the cloth-wrapped, staff-like object he had been carrying. With his teeth, he untied the string that held the cloth in place, revealing what appeared to be a pair of swords with the ends of their hilts stuck together. He held the thing in his mouth, and unsheathed the blades. With his weapon out, he signaled for his squad to follow, then galloped straight towards the camp.

"Fighting time!" Scarlet Rabbit cheered. He launched himself into the air, promptly disappearing into the night sky. Twilight looked to Pyre Valor, then galloped right next to her, making sure to stay out of her way. Pyre Valor's horn was already glowing deep orange. Blademane galloped ahead of them, keeping by Vanguard's side.

As they came closer, Twilight finally got a good look at the wolven. She had guessed right. They were wolves, enormous, feral wolves with over-sized jaws and front claws. Their eyes glowed bright red in the darkness. They were covered with wiry, grayish-white fur, and they wore enormous spiked collars around their necks. Despite their size, they were very lean. The closest wolven spotted them, and howled before meeting their charge. The others followed suit. In a second, the entire camp was in an uproar.

Before Vanguard and Blademane could collide with the rush of oncoming wolven, a coruscating ball of white-hot flames flew past them. The spell alighted gently on the snout of the lead wolven…

…and then erupted into a massive sphere of flames that consumed everything several feet around it. The wolven near the blast yelped, and leaped away. Their pelts caught ablaze, forcing them to roll on the ground. The lead wolven and those who were charging next to it had simply disappeared. The smell of burned flesh and singed fur wafted towards Twilight, who looked at the unicorn next to her in horror. Pyre Valor smiled at her handiwork. Already, her horn was glowing for another spell.

Taking advantage of the hole left in the wolven charge, Vanguard galloped into the fray. One wolven was still getting up from having put out its burning fur when the left end his two-bladed sword cut through its chest. With a swing of his powerful neck, he dragged his weapon from the dead wolven, and jabbed its other end to another foe to his right. He charged on, plunging deeper into the fight.

Blademane was several feet behind his captain, keeping back several of the wolven to prevent them from surrounding Vanguard. He smashed a hoof into one of them, knocking it down to its side, and reared up. Both of his hooves fell on the wolven's head with a sickening crunch.

"We're not putting a show on for you, chosen, make yourself useful!" Pyre Valor shouted at Twilight. A pair of wolven broke from the fray, and headed straight for them. Panicked, Twilight's mind raced through the spells she knew. She needed something to stop a pair of rampaging wolf-like creatures before they knocked her down, and ate her.

"Eeyahooo!"

The shout came from above them, followed by a streak of red that landed directly on one of the charging wolven. Scarlet Rabbit wrapped all four of his legs onto the wolven, then launched himself back up into the air.

There was still one more charging wolven, however. Forcing her panicked thoughts into order, Twilight concentrated on a spell. Her horn glowed a steady purple light, and the charging wolven soon found its claws no longer touching the ground. A nimbus of purple energy encased it, lifting it high into the air. With one swift motion of her neck, she hurled it back for several feet, sending it tumbling across the hard packed ground.

"Enjoy the trip!" Scarlet Rabbit shouted above them. A wolven fell head-first to the ground with a dull crunch and a loud snap. It didn't move after that. The one that Twilight had thrown to the ground stood up, and shook its head. With a snarl, it made another charge towards her.

"Cute," Pyre Valor groused. "Now try something more lethal!" She pointed her horn at another clustered pack of wolven, sending another ball of flames towards them.

"Lethal?" Twilight fell back as the wolven came closer. She looked desperately at Pyre Valor, who showed no interest in dealing with her attacker. When the wolven got too close, Twilight held it up again with a telekinetic grip. The wolven snarled, and clawed at her viciously, struggling as hard as it could against her magic. Beads of sweat dripped down Twilight's face as she struggled to maintain the spell. The exertion surprised her. She could normally lift much heavier weights than this wolven. Why was she having so much trouble? Did that faulty teleportation spell take that much out of her?

"What are you waiting for?" Pyre Valor asked. "Beat it against the ground until it's dead!"

"But I-!" Twilight hesitated. The savage gleam in the wolven's eyes promised her that, if she hurled it somewhere, it would simply get up and try harder. "I've never-! I can't-!"

"You've never killed anything in your life, have you?" Pyre Valor walked up to Twilight, getting in her face.

The question jolted Twilight out of her concentration. The wolven dropped to the ground, and leaped, claws and fangs extended.

Only to be incinerated in mid air.

Pyre Valor's horn stayed aglow, the dark red-orange magic casting her face in a lurid light. There was no scowl on her face this time. Twilight could barely recognize the emotion. A moment later, she pinpointed what it was: contempt.

"I am hardly surprised," Pyre Valor said flatly. She turned her back, and walked away from Twilight, unmindful of another wolven crashing to the ground just a foot away. Twilight could hear Scarlet Rabbit's distant laughter.

The battle dwindled down to nothing quickly under the fierce assault. The still-burning campfire illuminated the grisly scene in an orange glow. Scores of wolven lay across the ground. Most of them had their ribs or the skulls crushed by Blademane's metal-shod hooves. Mixed in with those were wolven killed by falling to their deaths.

Twilight felt her stomach heave in protest to the sight. Any trace of hunger she had felt earlier had been completely obliterated. While the sight of the dead wolven made her gag, it was the ones she couldn't see that were the worst. There were scorch marks everywhere, as well as a foul, lingering odor that sent her retching. She looked towards the ponies around her, and found them walking away.

"Get your guts in control, chosen, let's go!" Pyre Valor called out to her. Twilight followed after them. She kept her eyes focused directly in front of her, trying to blot out the sight of all the carnage.

Pyre Valor and the other ponies were following a trail of dead wolven. These ones were slain by enormous slashing wounds across their bodies. Twilight remembered the two-bladed sword that Vanguard carried in his mouth and his fearless dash into the midst of a pack of snarling, howling wolven. She hadn't seen him after that, and his companions didn't seem concerned about what happened to him.

A moment later, they caught up with Vanguard. His two-bladed sword had been plunged into the ground next to him as he stood over something. As she walked closer, Twilight saw that it was a pony, a dark blue stallion with a long, white braid of a mane. The stallion had fallen on his side while Vanguard stood over him. His face was twisted by a mixture of anger, defiance, and fear for his life. She guessed that this must be Cold Hoof.

When Vanguard noticed the other ponies behind him, he tossed a bag towards Pyre Valor, who inspected its contents. She paused for a moment, frowned at what she saw, then closed the bag. "It's all here," she said.

"Good," Vanguard said flatly. He turned his attention back to the fallen stallion. "You are about to be executed. If you have anything to say, do so now. A reason for this insanity would be appreciated, Cold Hoof."

"Insanity? You're the one who's insane, Vanguard Clash!" Cold Hoof spat. "Mindlessly fighting on against an unending tide of wolven. All for what? A pat on the back from Terrato? The oh-so-sweet knowledge that a land you will never see and will never see you is safe?"

"Is that all?" Vanguard replied. "Goodbye, Cold Hoof." With that he pulled out the two-bladed sword from the ground, and raised the blade for a killing strike.

"Wait!" Twilight cried out. She ran forward before the other ponies could stop her, and placed herself between Cold Hoof and Vanguard. "He's hurt and beaten! Don't kill him!"

Vanguard lowered his weapon, and stared at Twilight, his face an emotionless mask.

"Stand aside, chosen!' Pyre Valor snarled. "This is none of your concern!"

"Killing is wrong!" Twilight insisted. "No pony should ever need or want to do it!"

"You filthy, spoiled nag!" Pyre Valor shouted. "Is that the sort of thinking you chosen get when you let others do your killing for you?"

"Pyre!" Vanguard rebuked her. Cold Hoof's eyes grew wide at the mention of "chosen". He focused on Twilight, his gaze drawn to her flank.

Before Twilight or Pyre Valor could say anything else, Vanguard spoke again. "If we bring him back to the fort, he'll be hanged for treason," he told Twilight. "If we leave him here, he'll starve in a few days, if he doesn't die from exposure, or get eaten by wolven. Tell me, Twilight Sparkle, just what do you think we should do then?"

"I…" Twilight swallowed nervously as everyone's attention focused on her.

"Curse you, chosen nag," Cold Hoof suddenly spoke. "How dare you come here now, and make a show of your high and mighty 'mercy'? I'm not letting you drag me back to your princess so she can watch me get strung up. Wolven gnaw on your bones!" With that, he pulled out a knife he had hidden beneath him with his forelegs. Before anypony could stop him, he plunged it into his chest.

Twilight scrambled away from the dying pony. Her back legs caught on a loose stone, causing her to land on her tail.

"Well, he had some semblance of honor left," Pyre Valor muttered. "Mission accomplished, Captain." She turned away from the dead pony and walked on.

Scarlet Rabbit let out a low whistle while Blademane followed Pyre Valor without a word.

Vanguard walked over to Twilight, and offered her a hoof to help her stand. She stared at it numbly in response. "By tomorrow, we'll have you meet our prince," he said softly. "He'll send you back to where you belong, and you can leave this place."

Twilight took the hoof and stood up. She knew that he wasn't sure as to what Prince Terrato would do to her. She also knew that, while she might leave this place, it would probably never leave her. 'Where have I come to?' she asked herself miserably.

'Why me?'


	3. Heaven, Moon and Earth

**Upheaval: Breaking Point**

**Chapter 3: Heaven, Moon and Earth**

The sight of the sun slowly rising above the horizon did little to lift Twilight's spirits as she trudged on across the rocky plain behind the other ponies. After the fight last night, they had returned to their camp and slept. At least, she had tried to. She had been exhausted when they came back, but, try as she might, she couldn't fall asleep. The smell of blood and burned flesh lingered in her nostrils. Not only that, she felt sweaty and covered in soot. The sight of Cold Hoof stabbing himself while looking at her in contempt wouldn't go away. She ended up simply lying on the ground for a few hours.

And a few hours was all she'd been given. The squad had been up and moving before dawn. None of them had said a word. Vanguard had ordered Scarlet Rabbit to scout ahead, removing the slightest chance of anypony trying to strike up a conversation. Twilight found herself placed between Pyre Valor, who walked behind Vanguard, and Blademane, who brought up the rear. She didn't dare say anything. Pyre Valor still looked ready to pounce on anything she might say. She flinched when somepony nudged her rear.

"Move, chosen," Blademane said. "We should be at the fort by noon unless you delay us."

"I'm sorry," Twilight replied. "But we have been walking for some time now, and we didn't even have breakfast." Her stomach rumbled and she looked away in embarrassment.

"What's the matter, chosen?" Pyre Valor asked. "Are you scheduled for a cake sampling party by this hour? Do you miss the smell of milk tea in the morning?"

"I don't do those things!" Twilight snapped.

"Pyre, take the lead," Vanguard said before Pyre Valor could reply. With a backwards glance at Twilight, she switched places with Vanguard, who slowed his pace to walk next to Twilight. Despite being completely covered in barding, he didn't even seem to be exerting himself. "Here," he said, pulling out a small pouch from his harness. He handed it to Twilight.

Twilight opened the pouch to find a yellowish, grain-like substance inside. "What's this?" she asked.

"Concentrated feed," Vanguard replied. "You get grouchy when you starve. Next thing I know, you and Pyre Valor will be throwing spells around. That should help."

Twilight poured a small amount into her mouth, and started chewing. Almost immediately, she grimaced. The stuff was coarse and dry. It felt like she was chewing a mouthful of sand. "It tastes like cardboard!" she exclaimed.

"Kitchen Division's getting better then," Vanguard replied. "It used to taste like burned cardboard."

Twilight forced herself to swallow without any more complaints. She just realized that this feed was probably Vanguard's only meal, and he had given it to her. Despite the small amount that she had taken, her belly stopped rumbling. Vanguard's dry humor was also better for her mood than Pyre Valor's scathing remarks. By the horizon, she saw the fortress they had been talking about. It was a massive, walled structure atop a steep hill. They were still far away from it, but the sight of a destination, indeed any landmark, in this barren place let her focus on something besides her being lost in some strange land.

"So…could you tell me about this "chosen" thing?" she asked Vanguard quietly, making sure nopony else heard. Pyre Valor had walked far ahead, perhaps just to avoid her. "Maybe I'd be less provoked if I knew why she hates me so much."

"Not you," Vanguard replied, matching her tone. "I don't really think it's hate either. Pyre needs somepony to blame. You're just a convenient target."

"But what do you mean by "chosen"?" Twilight insisted. "Chosen by who? And why?"

"We call ponies who live within the limits of the Heartland 'chosen'," Vanguard answered. "Princess Celestia chose you. To be exact, she chose your ancestors. They were to be the pony inhabitants of her realm. That symbol on your flank marks you as a chosen."

"My cutie mark? That's not what it means! It's supposed to symbolize my special talent, the skill that makes me unique!"

"Really? Then what is your special skill which makes you so unique, Twilight Sparkle?"

"Well, my special talent is magic," Twilight said. She wanted to add that she was Princess Celestia's protégé and she also represented the Element of Magic among the Elements of Harmony, but she didn't want to annoy Vanguard with boasting. Besides, all those titles amounted to nothing out here.

"So, among millions of ponies, and throughout all the generations for hundreds of years, you can honestly say that you are the only pony ever with the talent for magic?"

"W-well…" Twilight was silent for a while. To say yes was simply too proud to be right.

"Your 'cutie mark' is a symbol of your place," Vanguard continued. "It may symbolize where you specialize, but that's so you know where you stand in Princess Celestia's realm. I'm guessing that it makes for good bookkeeping on her part to have all you chosen ponies labeled."

"You're wrong, and that doesn't explain why you hate us," Twilight retorted.

"I don't for one thing," Vanguard answered. "Suffice it to say for now that you chosen are a privileged lot, and those privileges that you take for as 'normal' do not apply for the ponies that must live out here."

"Why won't you just give a straight answer?" Twilight grumbled. "Every time you explain something, you just throw in more questions!"

"It's not my place," Vanguard replied. "Once you meet his highness, you can throw all your questions at him."

"He's not going to hate me too, is he?" Twilight asked.

"Our prince has no time for sharing in the petty hatreds of his ponies," Vanguard replied. "He'll do what needs to be done, and that's it."

The two of them fell silent for some time. The only sounds came from their hoofsteps, the bits of loose stones rolling beneath their hooves, and the slight wind whistling through their ears. As they approached the fort, the landscape slowly changed. The plain was grassier, the trees more plentiful.

Finally, after what seemed like hours, Vanguard spoke once again. "You fought well last night."

"No, I didn't," Twilight retorted. "I heard Pyre Valor tell you last night. I was a useless burden. I couldn't lift one of them without tiring myself out."

Vanguard shook his head. "I didn't mean against the wolven. You stood up to four armed ponies. I can respect that."

"You would have killed him anyway. I didn't do anything in the end." Twilight kicked away a pebble in her path.

"Whether you succeeded or not isn't what I respect. It's the trying," Vanguard replied. "Don't put yourself down. Pyre said what she said because she expected you to fight as she did. She made an incorrect expectation, and was naturally disappointed."

"I still don't understand why I got tired so quickly," Twilight said. She was glad to move on to something else. "I can lift heavier things without that much effort."

Vanguard fell silent for a while. "You're out of your element," he eventually said. "You're a chosen and you've spent your entire life using your magic in Princess Celestia's realm. I'm guessing that, outside her realm, your magic is weakened."

Before Twilight could reply, she saw Vanguard look skyward. She followed his gaze, and then spotted a distant, flying figure closing in on them. Only seconds later, Scarlet Rabbit was hovering in front of Vanguard.

"All's clear up ahead, Captain," Scarlet Rabbit said.

"You took your time, Scarlet," Vanguard replied.

"I flew into one of the aerial patrols so I chatted them up. I just found out something interesting!"

"What is it?"

"The prince is already on his way to the fort! Everypony thinks it's a surprise inspection or something!"

"Well, isn't that an interesting coincidence," Vanguard said. "We find something that needs his attention, and he's already there."

"Do you think he knows about me?" Twilight asked.

"Maybe. How important are you in the Heartland? Are you the ruler of some province?"

"W-well…" Twilight stammered a little. "I am Princess Celestia's protégé."

Scarlet Rabbit let out a whistle. "Wow," he said. "The princess's most trusted student has betrayed her. What a shocking turn of events!"

"I did no such thing!" Twilight protested. "I would never, _ever_ betray Princess Celestia in any way!" She looked at both Vanguard Clash and Scarlet Rabbit, daring them to say otherwise.

"Well some betraying obviously happened," Scarlet Rabbit said with a shrug. "I mean, you're standing here, right?"

"Regardless, that would explain how his highness knows," Vanguard interrupted. "I would guess that 'protégé' is important enough for the princess to search for you. She's probably already told her brother, and he's already tracked you down."

Twilight smiled, and sighed of relief. Princess Celestia was already looking for her. It would only be a matter of time before she was back in Ponyville with all her friends. She was especially worried about Spike, who had seen her vanished into thin air.

* * *

><p>Hours later, Twilight was passing through the enormous gates of the fort, which were much bigger than she had imagined. It was encircled by three tiers of walls, the first one rising well over thirty feet. They were constructed with gray stone and looked as smooth as the surface of an egg. Heavily-barded guards lined the gates of each wall. They stood so still, and were covered so completely in barding, that she first thought that they were metal statues until she saw their mouths and noses. They presented a sharp contrast to the bustle of activity all around them. Ponies were rushing about the place, some dragging carts behind them, while others carried loads on their backs.<p>

"Welcome to FangBreaker Fortress," Vanguard said.

"Why is everypony in such a hurry?" Twilight asked. "Is this normal?"

Vanguard nodded. "Prince Terrato is arriving on short notice. That might mean a lot of things."

"Like Fenrir showing up for an all-out wolven attack!" Scarlet Rabbit piped in. "Wouldn't that be exciting?"

"Fenrir?" Twilight asked.

Vanguard looked sternly at Scarlet Rabbit before answering. "That's unlikely," he replied. "This is either an inspection, or about you."

"Who's Fenrir?" Twilight insisted.

"The King of Wolvengard," Vanguard relented. "One of Equestria's prime enemies."

"Captain." Pyre Valor approached them as they walked past the third gate. "I'll take the plans, and report our success." Vanguard nodded, and Pyre Valor went on her way, Blademane wordlessly following her.

"I'm off to get a drink. See you at Storm Brew's later, Captain?" Scarlet Rabbit asked.

"Not today, Scarlet," Vanguard replied. "I'm taking Twilight Sparkle to a guest room so she can rest until his highness arrives. Then I'm off to my quarters." When the pegasus flew off, he turned his attention to Twilight. "Follow me," he told her.

The two of them walked through the halls of the fortress. As Twilight looked around, she edged a little closer towards Vanguard. The fortress was nothing like the Royal Palace. Despite the high ceilings, the fortress felt like a tomb. Everything was gray stone and wood. Decorations were scarce, limited to weapons hung on the walls or the flag of Equestria.

The flag caught her attention. She recognized the figures of Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, but, rather than form the two halves of a circle, they formed only two-thirds. A third alicorn, a gray one, completed the pattern.

Twilight was quick to note that none of the ponies she had encountered had any cutie marks, and some of the looked quite old indeed. Once she started paying attention to them, she noticed that they, in turn, stared at her flank. Shuddering as she caught more and more attention, she tapped Vanguard's shoulders with a foreleg to catch his attention.

"What is it?"

"I want to thank you."

"For what?"

"For not agreeing to kill me, for starters. For trying to be helpful, and for trying to cheer me up this morning."

To Twilight's surprise, Vanguard stopped, and turned towards her. She couldn't quite see his eyes under the barding, but she could feel that he was staring at her more intensely than usual. Distracted, she nearly stumbled into him.

"Do you mean that?" he asked.

"W-Why yes I do," Twilight answered. She steeled herself, matching his gaze with her own. "I mean every word."

Vanguard fiddled a bit with his harness, then pulled something out. He handed what appeared to be a coin to Twilight, who inspected it. "If you're truly grateful, then take this," he said.

The coin made of silver. Embossed on its face was a hoof descending from a cloud. A wolf, a bear, and a snake were crushed beneath it. Even in defeat, the wolf and the snake had bitten the fetlock of the victorious pony. A swipe from the bear had cracked the hoof. On the other side were the words "Nopony else needs to suffer" were engraved. Twilight looked back up to Vanguard. "It's beautiful, if a little morbid. What does it mean?"

"It doesn't matter," Vanguard said. "Keep it. Don't show or even mention it to anyone."

He looked so serious that Twilight just nodded. She took the coin and placed it in her bag, between the pages of the book she had brought along.

"Thank you," Vanguard said softly. He led her to one of the doors in the hall, and opened it. Inside was a small room bare of anything save for a single bed, a dresser, a chair, and a desk. "You can stay here and rest up. His highness will summon you once he's ready."

Twilight nodded again, and entered the room. She collapsed on the bed. Her legs ached and she still had hours to stand when the prince arrived. That reminded her, she was filthy, and she was about to meet a prince. She turned around to ask Vanguard where she could wash up, but he had already left. She didn't risk going out there alone. If even a few ponies in the fort were as willing to kill her as Pyre Valor and Scarlet Rabbit were, going out alone wouldn't be safe. She settled in, cleaned up as best she could with a rag she found in the dresser, and waited for Vanguard to come back for her.

An hour passed before Twilight heard a knock on the door. She opened it, expecting Vanguard, and was mildly disappointed when she found a pair of guards instead. Their full barding made it appear as if a pair of pony-shaped statues had come to fetch her.

"Miss Twilight Sparkle, his highness, Prince Terrato of Equestria has requested for your presence," the guard to her left said, his voice, muffled and metallic. She nodded, and followed them. They walked ahead of her, one at each side. They didn't speak again, leaving only the jingle of metal plates and their heavy hoofsteps to fill the hallway.

A few minutes later, Twilight looked up at a pair of enormous double doors, each one more than five times her height. They opened into a massive chamber before her, which looked similar to Princess Celestia's throne room, only devoid of any decoration. Guards lined the sides of the room, and a red carpet extended from the doors to the throne. The carpet drew her gaze up to the pony standing at top of the stairs.

He was a gray alicorn, much larger than Princess Celestia herself. It wasn't only height. He was heavily muscled, with powerful wings and a strong neck. His mane was a stream of deep red fire that blazed across the back of his neck. His tail was of a similar color and form. Unlike Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, who wore bejeweled torcs around their necks, he wore a thick chest plate of unadorned, dark gray metal. His neck and legs were similarly covered, although he wore no facial covering, or any sort of crown.

Immediately, Twilight felt her knees grow weak. She knelt on instinct. Any doubt of Prince Terrato being actually related to Princess Celestia was gone.

"I am Terrato, the ruler of this realm you're in, chosen," Terrato said. He looked at her with eyes of a dark, almost black shade of gray, and he spoke with a deep and powerful voice that resounded across the chamber like a distant earthquake. "Tell me your name."

"T-Twilight Sparkle, your highness," Twilight replied.

"Something interesting happened to me this morning, Twilight Sparkle. Would you care to hear about it?"

"As you wish, your highness."

Twilight looked up to find that Prince Terrato was descending the stairs. As he moved closer, she saw that his horn did not taper into a fine point, but into a blunt edge, as if the tip had broken off. When he stretched his wings, she noticed that his left wing was also about a couple of inches shorter than his right. The tip of the wing ended in a rough edge.

"This morning, my eldest and dearest sister, Celestia, decided to contact me," Terrato began. "A noteworthy event indeed. She's hardly ever contacted me in the last few centuries. Why, for all her avoidance, I'd say that it's almost as if she doesn't give a crap about this place."

One of the nearby guards stifled a snort. Twilight swallowed a protest, and kept on her knees as Terrato continued. Surprisingly, he didn't sound angry. Indeed, he sounded amused.

"A hysterical little dragon came to her screaming about how somepony called "Twilight Sparkle" disappeared in a flash of magic. Coincidentally, she felt that someone had just broken through her barrier. A bit of logic later, she decided to task me with finding her missing protégé, who had accidentally teleported herself a few thousand miles off target and ended up in my realm." Terrato stopped directly in front of Twilight, and gestured for her to rise. "You're fortunate that you happen to be particularly important to Celestia. Otherwise, I am obligated to execute you, or keep you here forever. Since she insisted, I'm going to send you home."

"Thank you very much, your highness," Twilight murmured. Kill her? For just stumbling into this place? All the questions she had been asking silently since she came to this place started came rushing back.

"You look like you have a bunch of questions to ask, Twilight Sparkle," Terrato remarked. "Or is that constipation? I haven't interacted with you chosen ponies for a long time. If it's questions, go ahead and ask. Otherwise, the fort's medics might have something for you."

"Your highness, I would like to know why you must keep this place a secret. Why are there "chosen" ponies who must not know anything about you or what you do?"

"That's quite a thirst for knowledge you've got." Terrato said with a chuckle. "No wonder you take to Celestia's teaching with ease!" He was silent for a moment. When he spoke, his voice was level again. "To explain, I'll have to start at the beginning. You see, Celestia, Luna, and I ruled Equestria in hopes of creating an ideal kingdom of peace and harmony for all ponies," he began. "Even at the very start, however, the three of us realized that such an ideal would remain just that. Equestria was surrounded by other realms: Fenrir's Wolvengard to the north, Arugek's Ursinium to the west, and Sesyth's Ophidus to the south. Each of them wanted a piece of our realm and was more than happy to send armies to invade."

Terrato's voice darkened as he continued.

"Equestria became an embattled realm. While Celestia and Luna governed, I led the ponies who rose to defend their homes against these invaders. We succeeded in protecting Equestria thanks to everypony's courage. That, and our neighbors were just as happy attacking each other. Time and again, we repulsed waves of invaders. Celestia, however, wasn't happy with mere victory in battle. The presence of war ruined Equestria for her. Fear and hatred of our enemies was understandably commonplace, as was the desire to learn more about fighting and killing. This was not the Equestria she hoped to rule. She brought this up with me and Luna, and we agreed on her plan."

Terrato paced the hall as he talked. Twilight couldn't tell if the memory of his past angered or saddened him, but he looked quite grim as he spoke.

"Celestia took the ponies who were the least influenced by war and gathered them at the center of Equestria. There, she raised a barrier, separating them from the rest of the world. The vast place enclosed by the barrier became known as the Heartland. While Luna ruled by her side, Celestia entrusted me with the task of defending the surrounding lands. I, with the ponies who were not chosen, were to keep Wolvengard, Ursinium and Ophidus from breaking through. It was a task I willingly accepted. Here we are now, centuries later, and our duty continues. Do you understand now, Twilight Sparkle?"

Twilight's eyebrows furrowed. She did understand, but the implications were horrible. "Princess Celestia kept all this a secret to keep the influence of war away from the realm she wanted to rule," she gasped. "I can't believe this! All this time we've been living happy and peaceful lives while others did the fighting! And they do so without being recognized!"

"That's the gist of it," Terrato said with a smile.

"This…this is wrong! This can't continue!"

Terrato raised an eyebrow. "Well, that's a reaction I didn't expect. Now, I have a question too. How did you get here?"

Twilight told the prince her story. At the mention of the skeleton and the gem she found, his eyes narrowed.

"Do you still have that gem?" Terrato asked.

"Yes, your highness." Twilight reached into her bag and pulled out the stone. To her surprise, the sphere was now dull gray, and cold.

"Looks like a mana battery," Terrato said. "A big one too. No wonder you botched your teleportation. A unicorn could use something that big to blow up a quarter of this fortress."

"I've never heard of such a thing before," Twilight said.

"It's a tool for war," Prince Terrato explained. "Much too dangerous for everyday use. You could have blown yourself up if it wasn't for your high level of magic. I'm going to have to talk to Celestia about this. As for you, it's time to go home."

"Your highness," Twilight spoke up, "why would you to share all that information with me?"

"Well, you don't look like a blabbermouth. But that's not important. It's alright since you're going to subject yourself to a memory lock spell." He said with a laugh. "You won't remember a thing by the time you get back to the Heartland!"

"But...but what was the point of telling me if I'm just going to forget?"

"It felt good to tell a chosen pony my story. Therapeutic, you might say. However, it's either that, I kill you, or you stay here forever. Celestia will not allow any information about the Barrier Lands leak into her realm. It's only because you're her precious protégé that she's risking this at all."

"Well, what if I?"

"What if you?"

She sighed. "Very well, your highness."

Smiling, Prince Terrato lowered his head, and touched Twilight his horn. The world disappeared with a blinding flash.

* * *

><p>Blinking groggily, Twilight found herself sitting in the middle of her living room, surrounded by scattered books and papers.<p>

"T-Twilight?"

That was Spike. Twilight looked around, and found him huddled by the corner of the room.

"Twilight! It's really you!" Spike rushed forward, tackling Twilight with a fierce hug. Tears ran down his cheeks as he sobbed. "I was so worried! I thought you were gone for good! I…It's so great to have you back! What happened? Where _were_ you?"

Twilight hugged Spike in return. "I…I don't remember," she answered. She remembered casting a spell by a cave and…nothing.

"You've been gone since yesterday noon." Spike wiped away his tears, and looked at Twilight. "Are you alright? Are you hurt? What happened to your eye?"

"No," Twilight answered. Her eye felt swollen and painful, but she was otherwise fine. She looked outside and saw the stars out. She had been gone for a day, a day she had no memory of. She took off the bag she had on, and shook out its contents to see if she could find a clue. A few books tumbled out, but what caught her attention was the metallic ping of something striking the floor. She picked the object up and inspected it.

It was a small, silver coin.


	4. The Wheels Turn

**Upheaval: Breaking Point**

**Chapter 4: The Wheels Turn**

With Twilight Sparkle sent safely back to the Heartland, Prince Terrato found himself in a fortress of anxious ponies, all waiting for him to issue orders or explain his presence in their fortress. He had heard the frightened whispers between some of the legionnaires. They feared that he was here because Fenrir was going to lead the next wolven attack. That was untrue. Several centuries had passed since he, Fenrir, Arugek, and Sesyth formed a pact to not involve themselves directly during battles. It was, perhaps, the only thing they agreed on.

He still remembered the last battle he had directly participated in. It was here at FangBreaker Fortress, where he led his ponies against Fenrir and his wolven. He had charged into the fray, laughing as he faced the giant wolf's gaping maw. The two of them eagerly threw themselves at each other in a frenzy of hooves, horn, fangs, and claws. When the battle rage in both of them faded enough to let them gain some awareness of the battle, they were fighting alone.

Terrato remembered that sight well. Before him, a carpet of corpses had stretched out as far as the eye could see. The sight was sickening, an image he knew he would carry into the centuries. One look at Fenrir's eyes told him that even the giant wolf knew that they had gone too far. The pact took place only hours later.

It was probably because of that battle that his presence unnerved the ponies of FangBreaker Fortress. He would have to assure them his business here had nothing to do with that. "Clear the room," he said. The guards in the audience chamber swiftly complied. Once he was alone, Terrato concentrated on a spell. His horn glowed faintly as an image of his older sister materialized before him. "I've done as you asked, Celestia. I trust that your protégé is now back in her home?"

"She is," Celestia replied. "Thank you for returning her, Terrato."

Terrato stared quietly at his sister for a while. A millennium had passed since he had last talked to her. Now, he got to speak with her twice in a day. She was still as he remembered her to be: radiantly white, her pastel mane soft and flowing, her chiseled features regal, and her eyes piercing yet calm. He noticed the change as well. There was an air of tension around her. Tension that he recognized with ease after many interrogations of ponies who had broken his laws. He saw defensiveness, suspicion, and a slight hint of fear. A lucky swipe from Arugek once managed to tear off a portion of his wing, but seeing these things on his sister's face was a deeper wound. Outwardly, he remained flippant. "You're welcome," he said. "You have an interesting student. She managed to use a pretty big mana battery without blowing herself up."

"She's my protégé," Celestia replied with a hint of pride in her voice.

"Funny things, those mana batteries," Terrato continued. "This whole matter reminds me of an incident around two hundred years ago. A rather high-ranking unicorn in the Legion decided to see what the realm he had been defending looked like. He stole a couple of those mana batteries to sneak past your barrier. After that, he sort of disappeared. You wouldn't know anything about that now, would you?"

Celestia remained perfectly calm when she answered, "I don't know what you're talking about, Terrato, but if that unicorn threatened to bring war to my realm, he brought whatever fate he met upon himself."

Terrato quelled an urge to snort. Ponies he caught lying seldom lived to try again. For Celestia, he could tolerate it. Barely. "That business aside, we didn't really get to chat this morning," he said. "Tell me, how's our baby sister? I hear she's back from her thousand-year time-out."

"Luna is doing well," Celestia replied. "She's still recovering after all she's been through."

"That's nice." Terrato let himself smile as fonder memories of his younger sister played themselves out. "Perhaps I'll have a little chat with her later."

A disapproving frown creased Celestia's face. "Terrato, she's scared that you'll still want to kill her after all this time."

The pleasant memories faded, replaced by ones involving _that day_. "Now where did she get that silly idea? Don't tell me you didn't fill in that crater I left from the last time!"

"Terrato." A glare followed the sharp rise in Celestia's tone.

Terrato let out a sigh. "Alright, I'll admit it," he said. "I still think I should have just executed her. Better a swift death than a thousand-year shackling to an abomination."

The defensiveness in Celestia's tone increased. "She's back, and she's fine," she answered. "How can you tell me that I made the wrong decision?"

"Are you sure?" Terrato asked grimly. "Can you honestly tell me that there are no lingering traces of Nightmare Moon?"

"Why must you bring this up, Terrato?" Celestia looked away when she spoke, giving Terrato the answer he suspected.

"Because you're doing it again, Celestia!" Terrato stomped, causing the walls to tremble. "You're hatching another half-baked plan that's going to turn around and bite your rear! You know as well as I do that a memory lock is not perfect, that a unicorn as gifted as your student is capable of breaking it with enough effort."

"Twilight Sparkle has no reason to try and break the memory lock," Celestia replied. "She would need a trigger. After a few days, she will be glad to dismiss that missing time in her mind."

This time, Terrato did snort. "_That's_ a naïve plan."

"Enough!" Celestia's voice cracked. "She is my student and a pony of my realm! I will decide her fate, not you!"

"Is that so? Then tell me what your decision will be if she does remember! Banishment? Death? Do you think she will submit herself to another memory lock? If she spreads word before you catch her, how many ponies will pay for that slip?"

"That will never happen," Celestia answered. She looked away, jaws clenched. When she spoke again, she was quieter. "You promised to abide by my decisions, Terrato."

"I promised to defend you," Terrato answered, his tone as soft as her's had been. "I have, and I still do."

Celestia didn't answer again. Terrato sighed and dismissed the spell. "See you in a thousand years, dearest sister," he muttered. He left the audience chamber and walked towards the Commander's office. Recently, he had been receiving reports of a large amount of movement from the wolven. He may as well see to that while he was here.

* * *

><p>It wasn't long before Vanguard Clash heard from one of the guards that Twilight Sparkle had subjected herself to a memory lock and was sent home. In his own quarters, he had plenty of time to think about what had happened. Part of him was relieved to know that she had not been executed or forced to stay in the Barrier Lands for the rest of her life. Another part questioned why he should even care, the same part that had earlier protested when he gave Twilight Sparkle his legionnaire emblem. His barding rested on a stand next to his bed, while his weapon hung by a wall. It was going to be some time before he would need them.<p>

It had been impulsive act. He had hoped that Princess Celestia valued her precious student enough to want her back in Equestria Proper. He had also guessed that the only way to accomplish that was to somehow keep Twilight from remembering anything. Counting on those things, he had given her the emblem with the faint hope that it would help her overcome the spell.

Only after he left Twilight did he start to question why he would do such a thing. What had he hoped to accomplish by having a chosen pony live with the knowledge of what happened out here? He risked Princess Celestia's and Prince Terrato's wrath, and he didn't even know why.

Vanguard had never felt the need to be validated for what he did like Pyre Valor and some ponies did. He felt no connection to the Heartland and its ponies, and he didn't care if they knew that he existed. The Northern Barrier Land is his home, and he would fight to defend his home from invaders. His loyalty to his home meant loyalty to its ruler. If Prince Terrato supported Princess Celestia's decision to partition Equestria, then Vanguard did as well. He believed that wholly. Why then did he suddenly want to bring the truth to the Heartland? 'No,' he thought. 'This has nothing to do with the Heartland. I didn't do this for a bunch of ponies that I've never met.'

That train of thought led Vanguard to a conclusion he had suspected but wanted to avoid. It wasn't for ponies he had never met but for a pony that he _had_ met.

_"Why won't you give me a straight answer? Every time you explain something, you just throw in more questions!"_

To Vanguard's surprise, he had actually felt sheepish. Leading her on then giving almost nothing was wrong, and he admitted it. He owed her some answers. Perhaps it was the way she asked. She was inquisitive, with a sincere desire to learn that somehow shone through, despite being in a strange land and being exposed to a violent encounter. He wanted to reply to that nature, but he also knew that it wasn't his place. Prince Terrato would decide how much she should know. Still, the thought of her leaving this place, and returning home with nothing, didn't sit well with him. That, he concluded, was what had pushed that emblem from his hoof to hers.

A knock on the door forced Vanguard to put aside his thoughts for later. "Who is it?" he asked.

"It's Pyre," came the answer. "May I come in?"

Vanguard opened the door and found himself face to face with his vice-captain. Pyre Valor's eyes widened when she saw him. He wondered why until he saw his barding on its stand, rather than on him, like usual. She looked away, not quite willing to meet his gaze. "Need something?" he asked.

"I…I wanted to apologize." Pyre Valor spoke quietly, a far cry from the angry one she used before. "I was acting like a nag during the mission: questioning your orders, and letting my temper get the better of me. It's just that…the chosen had me seeing red. I didn't expect that actually meeting one would rile me up so badly." She exhaled before continuing. "I'm making excuses. No wonder the commander picked you as captain."

"We both know that Dreadstep likely picked between the two of us by flipping a coin," Vanguard answered.

"Well, it's clear now that he didn't have to."

Vanguard sighed and put a hoof on Pyre's shoulder. "Apology accepted," he said. "Besides, you more than made up for it when we attacked that wolven camp. The entire place stank of roasted wolven once we were through," he said with a grin.

"So says the pony who cut his way to Cold Hoof before he could find out what the ruckus was about." Pyre Valor returned the smile. "Poor nag probably crapped a pile while staring at your blades."

Vanguard nodded, walking over to his bed. "I'm going to catch up on some sleep before our squad gets sent out again," he said. "Need anything else?"

She was silent for a while, but didn't leave. He raised an eyebrow at this.

"Vanguard…do you really think that Cold Hoof was insane?"

"He tried to sell out an entire fortress of his fellow ponies to Wolvengard," Vanguard replied. "I don't _care_what his reasons were. Anypony who can run off and let hundreds die is mad and has to be put down."

"I see. Enjoy your break then, Vanguard."

Pyre Valor left the room and closed the door. Lay on his back, Vanguard stared at the ceiling. "Catching up on sleep, huh?" he said to himself. Evening was approaching, and he wondered if the Heartland experienced night and day at the same time as the Barrier Lands. He shook his head. 'I'm over thinking things,' he thought. 'That emblem is probably gathering dust at some forgotten corner of her house, if she hasn't tossed it into a gutter yet.'

* * *

><p>Spike woke to the morning's first rays, as was his routine. He had breakfast to prepare, then bedrooms to tidy up. The tedium of daily chores never did bother him much, but it bothered him even less today. He was only too happy to maintain a house for two occupants once more. 'Gonna have to tidy up the library too,' he thought. 'She was really at it last night.' He decided to delay breakfast and cleaning up Twilight's bedroom and started tidying up the rest of the house. Twilight was probably still asleep. Who knew what she went through when she disappeared? Not only that, she started going through her books when the strange coin fell out of her bag. She was still at it when he headed for bed.<p>

Once most of the house was cleaned, Spike headed for the library expecting a gigantic mess.

When he looked downstairs, his jaw dropped.

He was partly right. Books had been strewn everywhere: flung across the floor, stacked in piles on tables, and haphazardly replaced in the shelves. What he didn't expect, however, was to find Twilight still inside. Several books were open before her, and she scanned through them quickly.

"Twilight!" Spike said in alarm. "Don't tell me you've been here all night!"

"Fine! I won't." Twilight closed one book and tossed it aside. Spike looked at the title: 'Arcane Symbols and Associated Meanings'. "Help me go through the rest of these, Spike."

Spike stepped past several scattered books, glancing at their titles as he did so: 'Ancient Equestrian Pictograms', 'Magical Bestiary', 'A Study on Heraldry', 'Giant Ponies: Myth or History?'. "Not until you put those books down and get some sleep!" he insisted. "You look awful!"

"What are you talking about?" Twilight snapped. "It's not that late!"

"You're right. It's not late, it's _early_. As in early morning!"

Twilight paused, and put the book she was reading down. "What?" she asked. "That can't be true."

Spike opened a nearby window, sending sunlight streaming into the room. "Get some sleep, Twilight," he insisted. "That coin's not going anywhere. Besides, what's so important about it?"

Twilight looked at the silver coin and winced. Spike bit his lip. What was that thing? What it did mean? It must be a clue to what happened to her she had disappeared. Whatever it was, it made her uneasy and incredibly desperate find out what its origins.

But Twilight's frantic searching had yielded nothing. From the look of the mess she had created, she hadn't found even the smallest reference to anything that the image on the coin could possible mean. Spike went over to look at the coin. The hoof crushing the creatures beneath it evoked wrath and violence, but he couldn't help but get hints of nobility from the image. It was probably because whoever the hoof belonged to had paid a price for attacking. The wolf, the bear and the snake seemed like enemies, and their reprisal for being crushed looked quite painful. He picked it up and turned it around.

And then there were the engraved words on the back of the coin. 'Nopony else needs to suffer'. What did that mean? He guessed that it was in reference to the hoof at the other side of the coin.

He couldn't understand why there were no references in the library though. Ponyville was a small settlement, but it had an impressive collection of books. Golden Oaks had never failed to identify something important before. She tried to stifle a yawn and failed. "You're right, Spike," she finally said. "I'm getting some sleep. Would you tidy things up here?"

Spike found himself both relieved and horrified by the response. He looked around and cringed at the amount of work he was about to do. With a sigh, he started cleaning. He was going to miss getting to take out Rarity's trash for her. Ah, the sacrifices he had to make...

* * *

><p>Twilight staggered unto bed, staying upright long enough to place the coin on a bedside table. Despite her weariness, she was still thinking about what to do with the coin. She'd probably have to go to Canterlot and visit its library. There had to be <em>something<em> there. It was the repository of practically all knowledge in Equestria. Maybe she could also ask Princess Celestia.

At that thought, Twilight felt a sharp pain in her head. She winced and brought a hoof up to massage it. It wasn't just pain either. The sense of urgency and apprehension she felt when looking at the coin also intensified. She took it as a sign that she was going in the right direction. With a plan in place, she let herself drift off.


	5. Confrontations

**Upheaval: Breaking Point**

**Chapter 5: Confrontation**

For Twilight Sparkle, going to Canterlot always felt like going home. She had a lot of fond memories of this place: hours upon hours at the Great Library, lessons with Princess Celestia, powdered doughnuts and hot chocolate at Donut Joe's…those were wonderful days. They also felt like another lifetime, a time when she didn't really bother with friends. Her time in Ponyville had taught her differently, and she knew that her home would always be the Golden Oaks in Ponyville, instead of back here in glorious Canterlot.

Today, however, there was something different about the city. As usual, ponies went about their businesses on the streets, but there was an unusual air about the place. Twilight could see it on the faces of passing ponies, worry and fear. There was also a large presence of royal guards out today. Normally, most of them would remain at the palace, with a few patrols wandering the streets to maintain order. They were hardly needed. In Equestria, criminals were a rare breed.

Approaching one of the royal guards, Twilight asked, "Excuse me, has something happened?"

"Oh, Miss Twilight Sparkle," the guard answered with a slight bow. "We're on a realm-wide search. Princess Luna has gone missing."

"What?" Twilight gasped. "When did this happen?"

"Around yesterday evening, as soon as the moon was out," the guard explained. "The princess was on a tour of Equestria when her escorts lost sight of her."

Twilight looked towards the direction of the Royal Palace. "How is Princess Celestia taking it?"

"Rather badly, it seems. She hasn't left her chambers since it happened. I should be going myself. Ponies might think I'm slacking off. Who knows what it'll do to my paycheck!"

Twilight's eyebrows furrowed as the guard left. After Nightmare Moon's defeat, Princess Luna had toured Equestria often. Had she been kidnapped by grudge-holding ponies? That didn't make much sense. Luna had already been forgiven by Celestia, the pony she had harmed the most with her rebellion. Besides, she was a powerful alicorn who could more than handle an attack by ponies or anything else for that matter.

"I'm guessing that this isn't a good time to talk to Princess Celestia then," Spike said.

"That's true," Twilight replied. "I hope they find her soon."

"Are we still going to the library?"

"Yes. We're here already. It would be a waste to go home without doing anything."

A few minutes later, they entered the Great Library.

"Let's split up," Twilight said. "We'll cover more ground and get more research done that way."

"Okay," Spike grumbled. "I still don't get why that coin matters so much to you though."

_"It doesn't matter. Keep it. Don't show or mention it to anyone."_

Twilight stopped in her tracks, and clutched at her head as she felt a searing pain. 'What is going on?' she thought. 'Why is this coin doing this to me?'

"Twilight?" Spike asked. He put a claw against her foreleg. "Are you alright? Maybe going out wasn't such a good idea."

"I'm fine," Twilight insisted. "We're going to do this, if only so I can stop having these headaches!"

* * *

><p>"I hope that you find everything in the fort running to your satisfaction, your highness."<p>

Terrato answered that remark from FangBreaker's commander with an annoyed grunt. "For the last time, Dreadstep, I'm not here on an inspection. I trust you enough to know you can run this place without anypony looking over your shoulder."

"Indeed," Dreadstep replied with a cough. He smoothed his mustache as he walked by Prince Terrato's side, keeping a few steps behind as he did so. "I would still wish that you be pleased by how I run things, your highness, even if that is not why you came here."

"Well, I am," Terrato said. "Things appear to be running quite smoothly here. So tell me about the wolven movements these days."

"We are expecting an attack soon, your highness," Dreadstep replied grimly. "Our aerial patrols have been noticing a great mass of wolven gathering by our borders, including several groups of their berserkers and brachyurii."

"That bad, huh?" Terrato remarked. "I'm sending reinforcements then. We haven't faced Fenrir's elite in a long time. He may have been banking on getting that info on this fort. Triple your security, Dreadstep. I doubt that this Cold Hoof was alone. Fenrir may be a brute, but even he knows better than to just throw his best out there without some sort of advantage. He should know by now that he's not getting his info, but he's still massing his forces."

"Already done, your highness."

"See? Without me directing things," Terrato said with a grin. "Now, about those-!" The grin disappeared from his face. He tilted his head slightly and cocked his ears. Somepony had just passed through Celestia's barrier again.

"Your highness?" Dreadstep asked.

"The air here's getting a little stale for me, Dreadstep," Terrato said. "I think I'll go take a little flight. I may as well get out of your mane." With that, he cast a quick teleportation spell, reappearing just above the fortress. The presence that broke through the barrier was a familiar one; one that he had not felt in a thousand years. 'Does nopony respect the meaning of the word "barrier" these days?' he thought. He flew to where the presence was.

Far to the south of FangBreaker Fortress was a small circle of standing stones. They had been erected by ponies as a simple monument to the three alicorns who governed Equestria. It had been abandoned along ago, when the chosen migrated to the Heartland. As Terrato approached, he caught sight of his realm's latest intruder. He had suspected as much.

Standing at the center of the stone circle was a very dark blue alicorn mare, her mane a flowing mass of stars, and her flank marked by the night sky. It'd been so long since he'd last seen Luna, and It had not been pleasant. When she had been banished, he still tried to remember her as that filly of an alicorn who was always by Celestia's side.

Terrato had envied Luna in a way. She governed alongside their sister while he led the charge. When she entered the room, Celestia would smile, and gesture to her side. When he entered the room, Celestia braced for bad news. Luna's duty was to govern the night, but Terrato always considered her companionship with Celestia to be a far greater duty.

The sight of Nightmare Moon devastated Celestia, and the meaning behind the abomination's mere presence was a torment for her. Terrato had wanted to destroy her. He was meant to, and he believed it was a better fate than a millennium of imprisonment. Had he succeeded, Celestia wouldn't have had to live with the guilt of knowing that their sister still suffered. Not only that, the blame would have been placed solely on him.

Terrato approached his younger sister slowly. He let the ground rumble slightly as he walked forward, as a way to alert her to his presence. Sure enough, she caught sight of him, and seemed to hesitate slightly. When he came nearer, she steeled herself and stood her ground. He had to admit that he was a bit impressed. He dwarfed her in size, and she was in his territory, but she made it seem like they were looking each other eye to eye.

"The last time we met, Luna, I'm pretty sure I made a decent effort to stomp you into the bloody dirt," Terrato said casually. "Now, what part of that exercise in family-bonding made you think that it was a good idea to see me by yourself?"

"I missed you too, big brother," Luna replied. "As for how we parted the last time, that's no longer important. I'm here to talk to you about the present."

"Straight to the point," Terrato muttered. "I'll bite. Why have you come here? And why personally? You could have used your magic to contact me."

"Our sister can eavesdrop on any communication spell that goes through her barrier. You know this. I came here to ask you a question without her hearing. When was the last time you visited the Heartland?"

Terrato raised an eyebrow. "That would be last never," he said after a pause. He didn't consider the time he was there when Luna was banished. That was no time for sightseeing, and he had left immediately afterwards. "Good times," he added.

"You should have visited it when it was first established at least," Luna said. "Then, you'd understand better what has happened to it now."

"What are you talking about?" Terrato asked.

"I've been traveling around the Heartland, and I can tell that a lot has changed," Luna continued. "The dragons have become more violent, as have a lot of other creatures. The griffons are becoming more and more territorial. Everfree's influence is spreading. There are stories of cockatrice and hydra attacks going around. Even among ponies, there's a great deal more strife than before."

Terrato went silent. Celestia's pacifism enchantments on the wilder, more violent inhabitants of the Heartland were weakening. The dragons and griffons had inhabited sections of the Heartland along with the ponies when Celestia decided to raise her barrier. She was loathe to cast them out, so she had agreed to let them stay if they subjected themselves to her enchantments. Had she tried to reinforce them? He shook his head and dismissed the notion. Making it stronger would break the creatures affected and turn them into perfectly calm, walking statues. And then there was Everfree. That damned primordial forest resisted alicorn magic. It was a patch of untamed wilderness within Celestia's carefully ordered realm. "It figures that the dragons would eventually learn why they have sharp pointy things at the ends of their tails," he said. "Celestia can manage her realm, Luna. These things are not my concern."

"It's her managing that's making me worry!" Luna insisted. "Big sister won't say it, but I can tell that she's considering banishing the creatures that are becoming too unruly for the Heartland! Banishing them here!"

"Good," Terrato said offhandedly. "I could use more legionnaires. A squadron of griffons would be especially nice down south."

"Be serious, big brother! Our sister is slowly losing control of the Heartland! Who is going to be next in line for banishment? Ponies who throw their pies a little too hard?"

"And what do you expect me to do about it, Luna?" Terrato asked harshly. "Go over there and take her place?"

"Put an end to this division," Luna pleaded. "Come to the Heartland, and show everypony the truth. Big sister won't banish you with so many enemies at our borders."

"That is not my place!" Terrato growled. "Celestia is Equestria, and it is my duty to defend her, not to make her decisions for her! And why should I trust you, 'baby sister'?" I can still smell Nightmare Moon on you." He sniffed the air and wrinkled his nose. "It may have been a thousand years, but there's no forgetting that cheap soy sauce smell."

"If the Heartland turns violent, what do you think this will do to her?" Luna asked. "She needs to let go of this ideal. If she doesn't, its collapse will be too much for her. If you really are Equestria's defender, then this is your duty!"

"I don't need an abomination-infested rebel of a sister to lecture me about duty," Terrato growled. "Go home, Luna. Celestia will know that you came here. I'll tell her that you snuck here to visit me. You know, to mend things between us, and to show me that you're completely free of Nightmare Moon, which I _don't_ think you are. She'll scold you for acting rashly, and that's it. Now go. You should be supporting our eldest sister, not plotting behind her back!"

"You cannot hide out here forever, big brother," Luna said. Her lips quivered slightly. Terrato had gone too far and he knew it. "The changes will force you to act." Her horn flashed a dark blue light. In a blink of an eye, she was gone, on the wings of a powerful teleportation spell.

Terrato looked southward, to the Heartland.

_"You are the eldest, and it is your will that must be followed. That's just how things go."_

He remembered telling that to Celestia. He was so sure back then, so confident that she would steer them through anything. All he had to do was his duty. She had told him that what she was doing was for the best, and he had agreed. It wasn't just him. Everypony agreed, even the ones who were to be left in the Barrier Lands. That was the kind of loyalty she inspired, and he admired her for it. He was not going to turn his back on his duty now. He flapped his wings and took flight back to FangBreaker Fortress. He had an impending attack to deal with.

* * *

><p>The wolven-shaped target was a good sixty feet away when Pyre Valor lobbed a fireball at it. The tiny sphere flew unerringly through the air, landed gracefully on where the head should be, and exploded. The blast was controlled, however, leaving only a small scorch mark on the ground when the flames cleared. She had been practicing her aim all throughout this particularly slow morning. Commander Dreadstep had not sent her squad on any mission, and the inactivity was making her uneasy. There was a great mass of wolven out there, and she should be burning them by the job lots, not their wooden cut-outs. 'And then what?' she thought to herself. 'I could burn thousands of those misbegotten mongrels, and there will be more. There will always be more.'<p>

"Hey, vice-captain!" somepony called out from above.

Pyre Valor looked up, and found Scarlet Rabbit. "This better be important," she said.

"It sure is!" Scarlet replied. "You look like you could use a drink. I could use one too, so how about we have a few over at Storm Brew's?"

"Have you been drinking all this time?" Pyre asked.

"Most of it," Scarlet replied with a grin. "It's not as fun if I'm the only one doing it. Blademane won't even say anything to me, and I think the Captain's still trying to recruit that chosen from yesterday!"

"Trying to do what?" Pyre asked incredulously. "What makes you think he's trying to recruit that chosen?"

"Well, I saw him hand her a legionnaire emblem," Scarlet replied with a shrug. "I chased after him after he had said that he was going to escort her to a guest room. I was going to ask him if he'd let me have a couple of drinks on his tab since he wasn't using it."

"Focus, Scarlet!" Pyre said, now serious. "Are you certain that he gave her a legionnaire emblem?"

"Of course I'm sure! I'm really good at spotting things! You're not going to argue with him about that, are you? I mean, that chosen isn't really such a spoiled, filthy nag like you said. I smelled her! She smells like she takes a bath everyday!"

Pyre Valor didn't even hear the rest of what Scarlet had to say. She walked off, leaving the perplexed pegasus to hover there by himself. The implications of what Vanguard had done were all coming to her now. He had taken a great risk all for the sake of bringing the truth to the Heartland. If he was ever discovered, he would be hanging by the fort's courtyard as an example.

It wasn't just the consequences that were shocking. She had known Vanguard since they were recruits, whacking at straw-stuffed wolven dummies and galloping laps around the fort. She never expected this from him. Vanguard would often dismiss his promotion to captain as a fluke on a coin toss, but she knew the truth of the matter. They were both good at what they did, but Vanguard was chosen for a trait she didn't and vowed never to have. He was Prince Terrato's ideal soldier: a loyal, unflinching pony who defended the Barrier Lands without question. It was as if the Heartland, and the injustice that its existence represented, didn't exist for him. As far as Vanguard was concerned, the Barrier Lands were all of Equestria.

Pyre Valor couldn't see it that way. The truth was too important to ignore. In everything that she did, it remained at her periphery, that she was doing all of these things so the chosen could live in their idyllic kingdom. She knew that the truth would have to be shown to the Heartland, no matter what the cost. There were nights when the outrage kept her awake. Once, she considered it a flaw on her part. It was why she apologized to Vanguard the other day.

But now, things were different. Vanguard felt the same way. He was just far better at hiding it than she was. He was naïve though. He put his faith in a worthless nag of a chosen. His emblem was as good as wasted. Worse, if the chosen did remember, she would run to Princess Celestia and inform her of what Vanguard had tried to do. He'd be a dead criminal in a matter of hours. Pyre wasn't going to allow that. He might be an idiot, but he knew what had to be done in the end. If she could force all of the Heartland to see the truth, he may be saved.

"Vice-captain!" somepony called from ahead of her.

Pyre Valor looked ahead to see Blademane walking towards her. He saluted before speaking, his voice monotonous as always. "Commander Dreadstep wants to see our squad, vice-captain. May I ask if you know where the others are?"

Pyre gestured behind her shoulder. "You'll find Scarlet back at the training grounds, if he hasn't gone back to Storm Brew's. I'll fetch Vanguard. Thank you, Blademane."

Blademane merely saluted again and walked on. Pyre Valor's eyes narrowed. The timing was perfect. During this mission, she had to confront Vanguard about this.


	6. Where Faith Lies

**Upheaval: Breaking Point**

**Chapter 6: Where Faith Lies**

FangBreaker Fortress had always been a renowned place throughout the Barrier Lands. Standing proudly on a lone hill far to the north of the Heartland, it was the Northern Equestrian Legion's primary bastion against the armies of Wolvengard. Its walls had witnessed countless waves of vicious wolven soldiers try and fail to take over the Barrier Lands, grand showdowns between King Fenrir and Prince Terrato, and the rise and fall of many pony heroes. To be stationed at FangBreaker was an honor among the ponies of the Barrier Lands. It was to stand at very tip of Equestria's north, to stare down the wolven king's gaping maw, and to fight side-by-side with the most stalwart of ponies. There were stories of high-ranking officers willing to be demoted if a low-ranking position within the fortress opened.

The fortress had an austere design, the hallmark of Prince Terrato's aesthetics. Regardless, its defenders looked upon it with a reverent sense of awe. Everything about it was proud and defiant against the forces that continually assaulted it: from its compound walls to its multiple barracks, and the courtyards capable of holding a large army.

Not every area in FangBreaker Fortress was glorious and awe-inspiring, however. Within the fort's inner courtyards was a row of buildings marked by their multiple, perpetually smoking chimneys. They were the fort's great kitchens, the destination of huge quantities of supplies from the fertile south.

Most of the garrison often avoided the kitchens. It was swelteringly hot, the cooks were violently short-tempered, and being splashed by boiling water or oil was an ever-present danger. Culinary experiments also occurred there on a regular basis. The fort's cooks were constantly trying to create the perfect rations for long-range patrols. Long excursions to the far north required food that was easily portable, long-lasting, filling, and nutritious. The smells from the many failed results sometimes knocked unsuspecting passers-by unconscious.

Despite the risks, Vanguard Clash made sure to visit the kitchens at least once a week. The morning after he had encountered the chosen, he had decided that it was time for another. He had arrived while everypony was finishing clearing up breakfast preparations. After a quick look at him, one of the cooks called out. "Sharpfangs! Your son's here to see you!"

Vanguard saw his father look up. Though surrounded by so much bustling activity, Sharpfangs stood out. His name alone puzzled anypony who had never encountered him before. His appearance, however, often left ponies staring in bewilderment. He had the same gray coat as Vanguard, but his had noticeably longer hairs which feathered by his hooves. His mane was a wild, feral mess of wiry, black hair, and his eyes were bright red and slit. The most peculiar thing about him was his namesake, a pair of fangs protruding slightly from his upper lip.

"Vanguard!" Sharpfangs exclaimed. "About time you showed up! How did the new concentrate work for you?"

_"It tastes like cardboard!"_

Vanguard smiled. "A major improvement," he answered.

"Excellent," Sharpfangs said. "Looks like commissary managed to get better supplies this month. Are you here for more then? Don't tell me the concentrate's so good that you've been snacking on it!"

"Just seeing how you are," Vanguard replied. "I heard that mother's long-range patrol has flown back in. Have you seen her yet?"

Sharpfangs snorted and wiped his hooves on his apron. "The big-shot flight captain has too many things to do to be bothered by an old dog."

"So you haven't seen her." Vanguard sighed. "This constant self-deprecation isn't going to help either of you, father."

"Your mother and I will do just fine, boy," Sharpfangs said with a wry smile. "We're not going to fall apart over an argument, no matter how much equipment ends up broken afterwards." Looking around Vanguard, he smiled. "Besides, you have your own relationships to deal with."

Vanguard looked behind himself and saw Pyre Valor from a distance. She was walking towards him, her customary frown already in place. He guessed that their squad was up for another mission. "I'm doing fine with my relationships," he answered.

"Which means you haven't proposed to her, right?" Sharpfangs's smile split into a toothy grin. "Move quickly, boy. You may not have noticed, but neither of us are studs. If you pass up a mare like that, you may as well cut them off, and use them for wolven bait!"

"I think I'll keep them awhile longer, father." Vanguard replied. "It looks like I'm needed. I'll see you soon."

Vanguard left the kitchens and went over to meet up with Pyre Valor. She saluted as he approached, a sure sign that they had work ahead of them. "Captain, Commander Dreadstep has sent for our squad," she said. "Blademane should be on his way with Scarlet Rabbit as we speak."

"Understood," Vanguard replied. "Let's go then."

A few minutes later, Vanguard stood inside Dreadstep's office with the rest of his squad. As one, they saluted their commander. Dreadstep had been in charge of FangBreaker since before they were foals. He had never led the defense wrong. He weathered his age well. Despite the lines around his face and his salt-and-pepper mustache, he moved with ease, his eyes still bright with vigor.

"Good that you've arrived, Captain Vanguard Clash," Dreadstep said. "Yesterday was a hectic time, what with our prince's sudden arrival and the matter with the chosen. You've yet to be properly congratulated for successfully slaying Cold Hoof and bringing back the information he stole."

"Thank you, Commander," Vanguard replied. "All in service to the Legion."

"Good," Dreadstep said. "I have a new task for your squad. Our long-range patrols just reported that the wolven are transporting some kind of large device towards our border. We need a closer look as to what it is, and your squad will be our eyes. Sabotage it if you can. Here's its last location." Dreadstep gave Vanguard a rolled up map. "Scarlet, I have a different task for you. We need an important message sent to Bastion City. Our last messenger ran afoul a squad of wolven bolters. You're our fastest flier, and this message can't wait."

"Understood, sir!" Scarlet Rabbit replied.

Dreadstep looked to the others as he spoke. "Take care. This will bring you to our borders. The wolven army is on the march over there."

"You mean to say that they are transporting this device ahead of their army?" Vanguard asked.

"Indeed. It's a curious object, small enough to be carried around by wolven, but it can't be good news."

"We're going then." Vanguard saluted and left, his squad right behind him.

* * *

><p>It was close to evening when FangBreaker Fortress faded completely into the distance for Vanguard's squad. They had been walking silently across the plain for hours now. To Vanguard, having Pyre Valor walking behind him felt like he was a second away from an explosion. She was frowning, but that was normal, as was the way she moved. Still, something about her today kept him on edge. He checked the map that he had been provided with. They had made good time so far, but the wolven detachment's last location was still a good distance away, and it was likely that it had moved on.<p>

"They should be sending a detachment of pegasi for this," Pyre groused. "A storm of bolts and firebombs would be faster and more effective than three quarters of a Special Operations squad."

"You think Dreadstep doesn't know that?" Vanguard asked. "We don't have a detachment of pegasi to spare. Last week's disastrous ambush certainly didn't help."

"Reinforcements should be here already if they weren't skirting around the Heartland." Pyre Valor snorted. To Vanguard, it sounded like steam escaping a boiling kettle.

Vanguard looked southwest. The Western Equestrian Legion had always provided pegasus reinforcements to both the north and the south. Ursan slingers, while dangerous, did not devastate pegasi flights as well as wolven bolters or ophidite snipers. Earth pony infantry on the other hoof... "There's no point in complaining about something that's been going on for a thousand years," he said.

"And that's how it gets to keep happening for another thousand years."

Vanguard didn't bother replying. Pyre Valor had railed against the Heartland for as long as he had known her and would likely continue forever. "We'll set up camp here. You know the drill, vice-captain," he said.

Despite the difficulty in gathering material for a fire, camp was ready in a matter of minutes. For once, Vanguard wished that they had taken longer to prepare. The silence between him and Pyre Valor was more exhausting than their trek. Blademane had gone off to gather more kindling, leaving the two of them alone. "If you have something to get off your chest, Pyre, now's the time," he finally said. He sat near the fire with Pyre Valor opposite him.

"I was about to say the same thing, Vanguard," Pyre replied. "I've been speaking my mind often enough. I want to hear what _you_ have to say this time."

"What are you talking about?"

"You know the injustice that the Heartland stands for. Even now it's affecting us: reinforcements taking too long to arrive, an untapped population of pegasi, unicorns, and earth ponies that could aid the war not being used while we have our backs driven against the wall, and all the unnecessary secrecy!"

"The Legion has overcome crises like this before, Pyre," Vanguard replied. "We stand strong on our own."

"That we stand on our own is the problem." Pyre Valor leaned closer, the firelight reflecting brightly in her eyes. "You're right, Vanguard, the Legion has overcome crises like these before. But it has always been at a cost, and the ones paying have always been us. It's time to put an end to how things are going. Even you believe this!"

"I believe in no such thing!" Vanguard snapped.

"You don't think that the truth should be brought to the Heartland?" Pyre asked.

"I don't care a mule's bit for the Heartland! It may as well be a myth. I fight for my home, the Barrier Lands. It's about time you did the same, Pyre Valor!"

Pyre's scowl deepened, and the fire crackled, seemingly feeding off her intensity. "Then why did you give your legionnaire emblem to that chosen? Isn't it so that she would remember the truth once she reached the Heartland? Wasn't it so that it would spread from her to the rest of the chosen?"

Vanguard stared silently at Pyre Valor, not daring to breathe lest she take that as some kind of admission of guilt. How she managed to find out, he didn't know. "Is that what this is about?" he finally asked.

"You've put your faith in that chosen. Do you really think she's going to spread the truth once she's home?" She shook her head and stomped a hoof. "No! She's going to repay your trust by sending you off to die for treason!"

"I don't expect Twilight Sparkle to spread the truth or some such thing," Vanguard replied. "That's not why I gave her my legionnaire emblem. However, I _do_ trust her enough to not try to kill me."

"Then why did you give her the emblem?"

Vanguard hesitated. That was a question that he had asked himself over and over last night. Why indeed? "She wanted to know about this place. I just wanted to give her a chance to keep that knowledge, even if she just keeps it to herself."

"You're going to _die_, Vanguard Clash, and now you're telling me that you're going to die over a triviality?"

"Call it what you will. It's done."

"It doesn't have to be," Pyre Valor said. Vanguard eyed her carefully. She had never calmed down this quickly. "I can still set things right and save you from this…temporary insanity."

"What are you talking about, Pyre?" Vanguard asked, his voice low. "What have you planned?"

"I've been thinking about what Cold Hoof had done. You're right. He was mad and needed to be put down, but that doesn't mean that there is nothing to be salvaged from what he was trying to do."

"Get to the point," Vanguard growled. Pyre's most fiery tirades had never made him feel threatened like this one did.

"We're expecting a major attack on FangBreaker soon," Pyre Valor said. "Cold Hoof was trying to give the wolven the advantage. Imagine what would happen if the fortress _does_ fall."

"Hundreds of ponies will die," Vanguard answered. "Wolvengard will gain a foothold in the Barrier Lands. They'll be able to launch raids all throughout the north while the Legion scrambles to recover. It will be a disaster for all of Equestria."

"True," Pyre Valor continued. "The loss will be staggering. Reinforcements from the Western and Southern Legions will never arrive on time. Unless…" Her eyes brightened and it was no longer just from the firelight reflecting off them. "Unless, Prince Terrato demands that Princess Celestia allow his soldiers to travel directly through the Heartland. She'll have to, or she's going to have the wolven howling at her very doorstep. Even her barrier won't stave them off forever. The chosen will finally see the ponies that have been defending them for so long! That may not even be enough. Ursinium and Ophidus won't miss this opportunity to launch their own attacks. The Heartland's resources will have to be used along with the Barrier Lands'. Drafts would be initiated. Legionnaires and chosen will have to fight side-by-side to recover."

Vanguard stared silently at Pyre Valor for a while. He couldn't find the voice to speak. He didn't even recognize who he was talking to. This…unicorn talked of a disaster as if it were the best thing that could happen to Equestria. "Hundreds will still die," he answered, his voice rising. "And why are you even contemplating this? Such a thing will never happen!"

"But it can," Pyre Valor said. "You didn't look at Cold Hoof's bag before giving it to me, did you?"

"No, I trusted you to check it." Vanguard looked around briefly. Night had completely fallen upon them. He felt alone, in the middle of a cold plain next to a deranged stranger.

"There was more inside than just the layout of FangBreaker Fortress. Cold Hoof has been in contact with Wolvengard's High Command itself. He promised them the plans and he's not alone. There are other ponies in FangBreaker who are willing to give it to Wolvengard."

"You knew this and you did nothing!" Vanguard snarled. He got up to his hooves, glaring at Pyre Valor.

"I didn't _want_ them discovered!" Pyre Valor answered, her voice matching Vanguard's. "This _has_ to happen, Vanguard! This is the _only_ way we can force Prince Terrato to act!"

"Have you already forgotten the hundreds that will die?"

"Hundreds of thousands have _already_ died! Died in obscurity while the chosen continue to enjoy their peace and harmony! This is the final push, Vanguard, the final sacrifice that the Legion must make so that all of Equestria can join the fray!"

"You…" Vanguard paused. The words escaped him when he tried to talk. "…You've been planning this for a long time. Even before Cold Hoof!"

"I've given it a lot of thought." Pyre Valor glanced towards FangBreaker Fortress's direction. "I only discovered that a conspiracy was already in place last night. We can take over where Cold Hoof failed. The attack is still coming. The sabotage can still take place."

"What do you mean 'we'?" Vanguard asked, his voice low and dangerous. "You're suggesting treason, Pyre, and you want me to take part in it?"

"You've already committed treason!" Pyre stomped a foreleg. "Whatever you believe the reason was for what you did for that chosen, I believe that even you want the truth to be known!"

"You believed wrongly. This conspiracy ends here, Pyre Valor." Vanguard began to reach for his two-bladed sword.

"Think this through carefully, Vanguard! We have the chance to change a millennium of injustice."

"And where will you be when this 'change' takes place?"

"I will stay in FangBreaker and fight to the death. No running away from what I started."

"How very noble," Vanguard growled. "That's not enough!"

"Nothing I do will _ever_ be enough for the sacrifice that must be made!"

"Then you have no right to make it!"

"Don't do this, Vanguard! I believed in you! I trusted you to see what needs to be done!"

"Don't talk to me about trust, traitor!"

With both of them on their hooves, Vanguard lunged at Pyre Valor, scattering the still-burning kindling as he stepped over the fire. The flames licked at his barding, but night steel protected well against heat. Pyre answered by running. He was about to follow when Blademane slammed into his side. His hooves slid against the rocky ground, but he stayed up. With a grunt, he pushed back. "What are you doing? Don't you know what she's planning?" he asked.

As always, Blademane didn't answer.

Before he could say anything else, Vanguard cried out as he felt a horrible, searing pain on his right side. He glanced back. A portion of his barding was smoking. His coat felt like it was ablaze. Much too far away, he saw the glow of Pyre Valor's horn. He broke off from Blademane and ran for it. He needed to survive to warn FangBreaker.

* * *

><p>Pyre Valor was a good distance away when she saw Vanguard make a break for it. She concentrated on a spell and aimed at the fleeing pony. Vanguard's injury had slowed him down. Despite the darkness, she could see him enough to aim perfectly. The fireball flew unerringly, as it always did. It alighted gently on Vanguard's shoulder then exploded.<p>

There was no dying cry. To her surprise, Vanguard staggered out of the blast. His smoking body fell to the ground in a lifeless heap. That he had not burned to nothing surprised her. Did she weaken her spell unconsciously? Still, there was no surviving that blast. All she had done was leave a reminder of what she was forced to do. Blademane came up to her and stared at their fallen captain. "Should we make sure?" he asked.

"No," Pyre Valor said softly. She looked away and walked on. "I can barely even look upon him at a distance."

"Won't the body be discovered?"

"The wolven will be here in a day or two. Nopony will know. Let's go. We'll set up camp somewhere else then report back that we were ambushed and had to flee before we saw the structure."

Pyre Valor slammed her front hooves against the ground. A tear escaped her eyes. She wiped it away furiously, leaving a streak of dirt across her face. "You should have just said yes!" she hissed, softly enough to keep Blademane from hearing. "Just once, you should have said it! I-!" She heard Blademane's hoofsteps coming closer. She inhaled long and loudly, making sure her eyes were dry when she turned to glance behind her. 'I'm sorry, Vanguard,' she thought. 'I truly am. We'll see each other soon. Take your vengeance then.'


	7. Necessary Crimes

**Upheaval: Breaking Point**

**Chapter 7: Necessary Crimes**

"Twilight, I think we should give up."

For his entire life, that was the first time Spike ever said those words to Twilight Sparkle. He had never asked her to give up on anything she wanted to learn about, not even back then when he felt that she could use a bit more socializing. Whenever Twilight studied, she was serious, focused, even relentless at times. Her dedication to magical knowledge was the best proof of why she received her cutie mark and why the ruler of all Equestria wanted to be her teacher.

But this was too much. They had been in the Great Library all afternoon and they had yet to get even a sliver of a lead. What bothered him was that she hadn't even taken the time to talk with their friends. All of them had been extremely worried when they heard that Twilight was missing. He was becoming more and more afraid that she was reverting to that time before she went to Ponyville, when all she could think about was magical study and she had to be ordered to go out there to make friends.

"Spike, I need to find out about this," Twilight answered. Minutes had actually passed between his remark and her answer. She was still going through books at a frenetic pace.

"We haven't found anything since we got here," Spike said. "Not even a clue. I really think that some pony just engraved a random picture on a coin, which randomly ended up inside your bag."

"You know I don't accept 'random' as a reason for anything," Twilight said.

"There's no other explanation for something that has absolutely no information about it anywhere! We've tried, Twilight. We've got nothing to go on after all this time."

Twilight put down the book she was holding and sighed. "You're right, Spike," she said. "Perhaps it's time to admit defeat on this."

Spike fought down a grin. He shouldn't look happy at the prospect of Twilight's researching ability "losing" to a mystery, but he was relieved that she was finally going to move on.

"Let's go home," Twilight said with a smile.

Spike had known Twilight long enough to recognize a forced smile when he saw one. "Sure," he said.

The two of them walked out of the Great Library to find that the sun was already starting to set. Despite the day almost coming to an end, there were still a lot of ponies out on the streets, including members of the Royal Guard. Twilight walked over to one of them. "What's going on now?" she asked.

"Haven't you heard?" the guard replied. "They've found Princess Luna! Good timing too, it's almost night. I heard that she just walked over to her panicking escorts like nothing was wrong."

"Well, that's good news," Spike said.

"Indeed," Twilight said. "But what's all the commotion out here for?"

"Princess Luna is coming back to the palace," the guard answered. "Everypony wants to see if she's alright."

True enough, a crowd began to gather around the street. The two joined them to get a closer look. They hadn't seen Princess Luna since Shining Armor's wedding and they were a little curious as to how the younger princess was doing. Spike climbed on Twilight's back while she slipped through the crowd to get a better view, making sure that she didn't push rudely against any pony. She managed to get to the front of the crowd in time to see the princess show up.

Princess Luna's appearance was strangely simple. She had walked up to the street quietly with a pair of royal guards at either side. The crowd murmured as she passed by. The atmosphere was a mixture of relief and curiosity, with traces of suspicion. Not every pony was willing to forget Nightmare Moon and the threat of eternal night. Luna bore it all with quiet dignity.

"That's weird," Spike whispered to Twilight. "I thought she'd be the sort to ride around in a carriage. Why is she even walking?"

"She's spent the last thousand years in isolation," Twilight replied. "She may prefer to take in as much of Equestria as possible. Maybe she's just taking her time."

Before Spike could say anything, a pony jostled against Twilight. He grabbed hold of her mane to keep from falling off. She recovered without falling down, but her bag had been knocked about by the bump. He heard the distinct sound of something metallic hitting the pavement and feared the worst. As he thought, the coin that had brought them all the way to Canterlot on a wild goose chase had fallen out of her bag and rolled its way to the princess.

* * *

><p>Though she was already walking the streets of Canterlot, Luna's thoughts were still about the Barrier Lands. Her meeting with her brother had gone badly. Better than what she had expected, but still badly. Despite a thousand years of being confined outside the realm he was defending, Terrato was still fiercely dedicated to Celestia. 'Blindly so,' she thought. What he was doing only seemed loyal, but her recent travels across the Heartland had given her a different and unexpected view point. Terrato had to act or the damage would be too much.<p>

Her visit to her brother's realm was the reason why Luna was taking the time to get to the Royal Palace. Just as Terrato had said, Celestia knew of her departure from the Heartland the moment she broke through the barrier. Though she wanted to resume her travels as if the Barrier Lands were just a quick, unscheduled detour, it wasn't long until she received a message that her sister wanted to see her. She had to admit that she was scared even though Terrato had provided an excuse for her to use.

Despite the constant murmurs of the watching crowd, a light metallic ping caught Luna's attention. A small object rolled across the pavement and bumped lightly against her silver shoe. She picked the thing up with her magic and examined it. It appeared to be a coin made of silver. When she brought one of its sides up to see what was there, her eyes widened.

The Equestrian Legion's emblem glinted slightly, catching the dimming rays of the setting sun.

"Who dropped this?" Luna asked the crowd. The sudden urgency in her voice set every pony nearby aback. Even her escorts looked shocked. Silence swept the crowd as everypony looked to see who had dropped the coin that was bothering their princess.

"I did, your highness."

Luna looked to see who it was and nearly gasped. She recognized the unicorn who was walking towards her slowly, eyes apologetic and movements hesitant. Her two escorts stepped forward to intercept the pony, but she motioned them back. "Twilight Sparkle," she said. Here was a connection she hadn't expected to happen. One of the ponies who had saved her from Nightmare Moon now possessed an object that all but represented another growing crisis in Equestria.

"I'm so sorry, your highness!" Twilight said. "I was jostled and it just fell and-!"

"Don't worry," Luna said. She smiled a little to put the unicorn at ease. "I'm not mad, just a little surprised. Where did you get this?"

Twilight looked at the coin and winced, something that Luna took note of. "I-I'm not sure, your highness. I've been trying to find out more about it but-!"

Luna gave the coin back. When Twilight reached out to take it, she leaned closer and whispered, "Meet me by the palace gardens after moonrise. Come alone and don't tell anypony. Whatever you do, don't show that coin to anypony else."

Twilight was about to ask what was going on, but a look from Luna stopped her short. She nodded quietly and backed into the crowd and Luna went on her way.

* * *

><p>From the palace's gardens, Luna watched her hoof-work with a measure of both pride and gratitude. The moon's light filtered gently through the leaves of the garden's various trees, illuminating everything with faint silver. That she could cause something so beautiful lifted her spirits and that her elder sister had returned this duty to her filled her with a sense of gratitude. A lifetime ago, she had been bitter over the seeming lack of appreciation for her task. She was only beginning to discover now that the night was beautiful because of the peace that it covered Equestria with and the sight of ponies being able to rest at the end of the day was just as much tribute as the sight of them enjoying the sun.<p>

While standing by herself in the garden, Luna felt some of her resolve falter. Earlier, her elder sister had spoken to her about what had happened during her tour. She followed her brother's story and was relieved when Celestia believed her. It wasn't a complete lie anyway. She did want to meet her brother to show him that she was free of Nightmare Moon's influence, an effort that ended in her being called an abomination-infested rebel who smelled of cheap soy sauce. Celestia had much kinder words to say about the situation. Just as Terrato had predicted, all Luna received was a very mild admonition about suddenly going off without a word. That she was going about in secret, trying to bring about something that would inevitably hurt her sister, weighed Luna down with guilt.

'I'm not doing this because I believe that she's a tyrant who needs to be deposed,' Luna reminded herself. 'I'm doing this because I love her. This needs to be done to help her.' Despite her choice of words, Luna wasn't sure about what exactly she was about to do. Twilight Sparkle might arrive any time soon.

All of a sudden, Luna wasn't sure about the entire meeting. She had thought about telling Twilight Sparkle what the emblem on the coin meant, which would reveal the truth about the Legion's existence, but there were a few things that made her hesitate.

Doing this would surely bring a lot of trouble to Twilight Sparkle. She was Celestia's favored student and one of the Elements of Harmony, but even all of that may not save her from being exiled or worse if Celestia believed it was necessary to keep the Heartland "safe". Why was it even necessary for her to know about the Legion? Part of Luna wanted to avoid bringing others into this and just confront her elder sister. That same part berated her for going through things in a roundabout manner. 'No,' she thought. 'If I speak out, it would just be seen as another rebellion from the envious little sister. If she hears from one of her subjects that this division is wrong, she may listen.'

"Your highness?"

The sound of Twilight Sparkle's tentative call silenced the inner argument. "I'm here," Luna replied. The guards had altered their patrols slightly to keep this part of the garden private as was her request. As she had also requested, Twilight Sparkle was alone. The dragon who had been accompanying her earlier was gone. Luna had wondered how her sister's protégé had acquired a legionnaire emblem, yet seemed to have no idea of what she had. She had detected a faint aura of magic around Twilight Sparkle's mind that she recognized as Terrato's. That confirmed what could have happened. Twilight Sparkle must have somehow come to the Barrier Lands and Terrato had cast a spell to cloud her memory. Luna wasn't sure how the legionnaire emblem fit in. Had Terrato planted it there to break his own spell? Was he moving before she even talked to him or was it somepony else from the Legion?

Twilight bowed as was only appropriate when faced with royalty. Luna could tell that there was a look of excitement and curiosity that lurked just beneath that respectful appearance. "Twilight Sparkle," she said. "I haven't thanked you properly for saving me from Nightmare Moon."

"I didn't do it by myself, your highness," Twilight replied. Despite her humble tone, her lips twitched slightly. Likely, to keep a flattered smile from coming out. "All of my friends helped in defeating Nightmare Moon."

"True," Luna said. The mention of Twilight's friends made the decision even harder for her. The truth will bring trouble, not just to Twilight Sparkle, but to all her friends: ponies who would quickly rush to her side without hesitation. She could be condemning six ponies, the same ponies who had done so much for her, to exile. "I should thank them all as well when we meet. Do you have that coin with you?"

"I do," Twilight said. She reached for her bag and pulled out the coin. The silver glinted in the moonlight. "If it pleases you, could you tell me more about it?" she asked. "I was going to ask Princess Celestia about it but-!"

"If you show this to my sister, you will never see or hear about it ever again." Seeing Twilight's surprised expression, Luna softened her tone. "I understand your curiosity, Twilight Sparkle, but let me warn you now that the knowledge behind this emblem will bring a lot of trouble to you. My sister has done much to keep the knowledge about this emblem hidden and learning about it goes against her wishes."

"G-goes against her wishes?" Twilight asked. She nearly dropped the coin and looked as if the thing had caught on fire. "I didn't know that this thing was evil! I should just get rid of it then!"

"I never said that," Luna said. Twilight Sparkle's reaction was more proof to her of how much of an influence her sister still had. 'And I'm dealing with her student too,' she thought. This entire thing might backfire or amount to nothing given Twilight Sparkle's loyalty. Even if she heard the truth, she could just ignore it or even agree with Celestia's decisions. "Please listen to me carefully, Twilight Sparkle. It's true that my sister does not want anypony to know about what this coin means, but that doesn't make it evil. Far from it, should the knowledge get out, it will be ultimately for her own good."

"How is that possible?" Twilight asked. Her eyes narrowed.

"I'll leave it for you to find out," Luna answered. "You can walk away now. You can get rid of that emblem and forget about everything about it. You can go back to Ponyville to enjoy the rest of your life. Or you can let me tell you the truth about it. Then, you'll be carrying a terrible burden. It won't be just you, either. Others will be dragged into the resulting mess. But, please, trust me when I say that it will be for my sister's sake in the end."

Twilight stared at Luna quietly, her face twisting in confusion and indecision. Luna looked right back at her with an intensity that defied any accusation of lying. Twilight nearly stepped back when she met the princess's gaze. She looked at the coin on her hoof and winced. This was the second time Luna noticed this. Despite the memory lock, it seemed that Twilight Sparkle's mind still desperately tried to remember. Her curious nature and thirst for knowledge naturally fought back against a spell designed to obscure memory. She had admire Twilight Sparkle further. Even without outside help, Twilight was actually struggling against her brother's magic. 'Just how much potential does your student have, big sister?' she thought.

"H-how do I know that what you're saying is true?" Twilight finally asked.

"I can't offer any proof," Luna said. "All I can promise is that you can hear what I have to say and walk away. Whatever you plan to do with what you've learned is up to you."

The reassurance did little to quell Twilight's uneasiness. Agonizing minutes trudged on with Luna simply staring intently at Twilight, while the unicorn struggled against wanting to know and fear of knowing. Finally, after what seemed like an hour, Twilight shook her head and looked at Luna directly. "Please, tell me," she said.

The response came as a surprise to Luna. For a moment, she had been so sure that Twilight was going to get a determined look and give the coin over to her. She had not expected that the faithful student would risk going against Celestia just to find out about something and for the possibility of ultimately helping. Still, here she was, about to go against Celestia again despite being forgiven after her last one. This time, it was going to be different. A thousand years ago, she rebelled out of petty jealousy and selfishness. This time, her rebellion will actually be _for_Celestia. "Thank you," she said. "This is an emblem of the Equestrian Legion. For you to have this-Twilight?" Luna stopped when she saw Twilight clutch her head with her front hooves. "Twilight, are you alright?"

* * *

><p>The steady buzz inside her head exploded when Twilight heard the words "Equestrian Legion". A flood of images and words came at her.<p>

_"Captain Vanguard Clash of the Northern Equestrian Legion."_

Twilight's mind focused on the image of a dark-barded pony standing on a vast plain, a plain that was both Equestria and not.

_"The Legion…does things that would only cause disruptions if they became common knowledge."_

The image shifted to an angry white unicorn whose fierce glare seemed to pin Twilight to the spot despite being only a memory.

_"Your mighty and wonderful Princess Celestia likes to pretend that her realm of peace and rainbows doesn't need us!"_

The image shifted again. Enormous, wolf-like monsters leapt from the darkness, red eyes glowing menacingly and fangs dripping saliva. Several ponies charged against these beasts, the dark-armored pony included. Blasts of fire erupted, and blood sprayed. She could hear somepony laughing in the distance. Finally, the battle faded. There stood a gray pony, an alicorn even bigger than Princess Celestia, with a fiery mane, and a broken horn.

_"And here I am now, centuries later, and my duty continues."_

Everything began to make sense. Something within her mind resisted as she desperately tried to piece together what the images meant. She recognized the presence of magic and fought back.

"I…I remember…" Twilight gasped. The block within her memories shattered and everything came flooding back: the Legion, Prince Terrato, the war at Equestria's borders…

Luna looked at Twilight with a mixture of shock and admiration. She couldn't match the princess's gaze just yet. She was exhausted from the great mental exertion she just went through. She tried to take a few steps forward and stumbled. Luna reached out with a hoof to steady her.

"And what you do with that knowledge is up to you, Twilight Sparkle," Luna said softly.


	8. Wolven on the Move

**Upheaval: Breaking Point**

**Chapter 8: Wolven on the Move**

Vanguard Clash woke up to unbelievable pain, a burning agony that enveloped his entire body. He ran his hooves across his face. He was alive somehow, alive and awake. He was sure of his wakefulness, but he couldn't see anything in the darkness. For a horrible moment, he feared that he had gone completely blind. Then, he saw a sliver of light from a few feet away. He hadn't gone blind, but he was in a dark, enclosed place. He was lying on his side on a makeshift bed made out of large pieces of cloth. Each attempt at moving brought about waves of pain. As his senses slowly focused, so did his memory. He remembered an argument, a quick fight, and the bright flash of an explosion right next to him.

"Pyre Valor," Vanguard Clash growled. Even speaking was a difficult effort for him. He was remembering more coherently now. Pyre Valor had asked him to betray the Legion with her and he had refused. He had known her for years, but he had not expected that she would do such a thing. Not even with all her grousing over the Heartland's injustice. Years of friendship collapsed to worthless rubble during their last conversation and Pyre Valor ignited the remains with a fireball. He tried to raise his head and groaned as he failed.

How had it come to this? Did he misjudge Pyre Valor completely? Had he been too complacent? He tried to recall memories of Pyre Valor, looking for things that he had taken for granted. She might have shown signs years ago while he remained steadfastly ignorant. Had they drifted apart without his even realizing it? She had thrown a fireball at him, a killing spell that she favored against her enemies. She had done so without hesitation. Clearly, her belief in this cause of hers was deep-rooted enough to let her sacrifice others. The memory of that last moment when the fireball struck him flashed before his eyes.

Then, there was Blademane. He had sided easily with Pyre Valor. That part of his betrayal didn't surprise Vanguard now that he thought about it. Blademane had always been by Pyre Valor's side, a silent guardian and ally who did everything she asked without question. Scarlet Rabbit often poked fun at the quiet stallion for being so devoted. Vanguard had underestimated that devotion. He thought it was simple attraction and Blademane's way of courting. Now, the stallion had committed treason along with the object of his affection. He was hurtling headlong to an early demise and he did so without a word of complaint.

Vanguard didn't know how he had survived. Pyre Valor was notorious for her fire spells. A direct hit from her fireballs left nothing but scorch marks. There were no burned bodies, piles of ash, and certainly no survivors. Perhaps his armor had saved him, but it would have also melted into red-hot goo that would have fused with his coat. His burns were painful, but the pain meant that the damage was skin-deep. A deeper burn would not have hurt at all. That made it clear that the fireball that had struck him was weak. The only answer was one that he despised. Pyre Valor had spared him. Unconsciously or not, she had held back at the last moment.

"Curse you, Pyre," he growled under his breath. He could have handled it better if she had tried her best to kill him. He would have considered her an enemy and he would have focused on doing his best to kill her with equal fervor. That his friend might still be in there left him frustrated and angry. "Why do you have to complicate things even more? Why couldn't you have hit me with your best shot only for me to survive out of pure luck?" He winced again as he shifted his weight. He made another attempt to stand, but his wobbly legs refused to support him. He touched the sides of the space he was in and felt canvas. He was in a tent.

The tent's front flaps flew open, sending a stream of ruddy, red-orange light flooding inside. The brightness hurt Vanguard's eyes, forcing him to squint at whoever had opened the flaps. He was greeted by a pair of bright red eyes and a pair of toothy jaws. He suddenly realized that thinking that he had survived Pyre Valor's attack was an overestimation of his fate. He was in a tent with a wolven, likely in the middle of a wolven camp.

"So the strange-smelling thunder-foot is awake," the wolven rasped. Vanguard guessed that it was female from the tone. Her words were thick and a little clumsy, but she spoke his language well. "Keep your head down and stay still, thunder-foot. If we wanted to eat you, you'd be bones by now. Do not undo my remedies with your useless struggling."

At "remedies", Vanguard checked his body. He was covered in bandages. Most of his flanks and torso had been wrapped up. He could feel some bandages around a portion of his face as well. He looked at the view beyond the tent's flaps and noticed that it was night. The light coming into the tent was from a large bonfire. Through the lurid glow, he noticed a strange, slimy concoction oozing through some of his bandages, a salve of a sorts perhaps. "Why have you spared me?" he asked.

"Our scouts found you half-dead and burned," the wolven replied. "They brought you here thinking to share the meal, but I smelled you." The wolven licked her lips as she continued. "I knew what you are from the smell. You didn't smell like a true thunder-foot. Now you stare at me with wolven eyes and I am sure."

"You're speaking in gibberish," Vanguard said.

"That's because you listen with thunder-foot ears," the wolven snarled. "It doesn't matter what you think, only what I know!" the wolven moved her face closer to Vanguard's until he could smell her reeking breath. The sound of her sniffing made him wrinkle his nose. He noticed her broken, yellowed teeth and realized that this was an old wolven he was talking to. "I know your smell, breaker. Under all that thunder-foot stink, I can smell the faint odor of wolven. You can hide under all that metal." the wolven glanced at the pile by one corner of the tent. Vanguard followed her gaze and saw his armor. "You can hide in cursed Terrato's herd, but I can smell you out."

The old wolven cackled and rasped. Vanguard could barely tell where the laughter ended and the hacking cough began. "I know what I am and so does everypony in the Legion," he said. "If you think that I'm ashamed of it you're wrong."

"That is good for us, breaker!" the old wolven crowed. "Stand strong! Once your legs' strength matches your heart's we will let you go. Go back to cursed Terrato's herd and do what you are meant to! What Old Regiskra has seen you are meant to do!" She left the tent, leaving Vanguard to his thoughts.

* * *

><p>Regiskra walked out of the thunder-foot's tent and made her way through the wolven camp. She was in high spirits. The moment the thunder-foot had opened his eyes, he confirmed what she had seen. Everything was going according to her vision.<p>

A rasping growl of a shout came from behind her. "Regiskra! Why is that half-cooked thunder-foot still alive? We should have been tearing his entrails out the moment the scouts dragged him here!"

"The thunder-foot has more important things to do besides fill your belly, Hasrok," Regiskra answered without looking back. "He will walk out of this camp alive."

Hasrok, a massive, gray-furred wolven, bounded ahead of Regiskra and snarled at her face. "I lead this pack!" he spat. "He is a prisoner and I will decide what we do to him!" He drew himself to full height. Hasrok was bigger than any of the wolven in the camp, something that made sure that he was their leader. He was covered in scars, vertical and diagonal lines that crisscrossed his face and body. These were no pony-caused injuries, but marks of challenges against his authority.

"He is the Breaker in my vision!" Regiskra snarled back. "He is the wolven-eyed thunder-foot fated to break cursed Equestria no matter what he does! If you eat him, I will tell our king that you pushed our victory away from his claws! Then, you can fill his belly!"

At the threat, Hasrok backed down. He shifted his glare from Regiskra to the tent she had just left. "Your_vision_," he growled. "Even pups dream and they wet themselves as they do it. You force us out here in thunder-foot territory while carrying your altar for the sake of dreams! If all of this is a lie, you will fill my belly, old one!"

"This old one will choke you while she goes down your throat, pup," Regiskra muttered. She walked past Hasrok and headed for the altar that he had been railing against. She was not worried by his threats. Her vision was coming true before her eyes. Now, King Fenrir had entrusted her with this important mission to call out Moon-Shadow, who had just been freed from her thousand-year imprisonment.

The wolven altar was a large structure of wood, stone, and bone. It rested on a massive cross-beam meant to be carried by a dozen strong-backed wolven while they were on the move. A simple wooden stair led up to a pedestal of stone that rested before a towering monument to their king's companion. Sharpened bones and sticks were lashed together to resemble a waning moon: Moon-Shadow's favorite image.

A thousand years ago, Moon-Shadow sneaked into the heart of Equestria, using her cunning to slip past even cursed Terrato, who was distracted by Arugek's blundering invasion. She formed a bond with the fair Luna, the object of King Fenrir's desire. She attempted to start rebellion among the thunder-foots to cause eternal night, but cursed Celestia had her own sister thrown to the moon, dragging Moon-Shadow along in imprisonment. Only recently had Moon-Shadow managed to return, but she was defeated yet again, forced out of fair Luna's body by the thunder-foots.

Now, King Fenrir wanted her back by his side. The altar was meant to anchor Moon-Shadow's wandering, incorporeal form. It just needed to be close enough to Equestria. With his companion by his side, King Fenrir could begin his invasion in earnest.

"The wolven await your return, blessed Moon-Shadow," Regiskra intoned. "Let our howls guide you back to our pack so you may lend your might to our king." She let out a long, dolorous howl, one which was followed by the rest of the camp. The altar began to glow an ominous purple light as their howls spread across the plain. Then, their howls ceased as a deep purple haze streaked across the sky from the south. The wolven around the camp whimpered and cowered with their tails between their legs as the haze descended upon the altar. Regiskra grinned fiercely and stepped forward. "You honor us with your presence, blessed Moon-Shadow. Our king wishes you to come to his side as he moves against cursed Terrato and his wretched herd."

The purple haze swirled around the altar, its amorphous form creating the image of a pair of eyes. **_"You have done well, old one."_** It spoke in an oily and soft voice. **_"Tell Fenrir that I must stay here for a while longer. I have found a suitable host among Terrato's thunder-foots, a unicorn who may not match Luna in power, but more than exceeds her bitterness and rage. I will return to Fenrir's side with the ruined remains of FangBreaker Fortress as a gift."_**

Regiskra bowed low as she answered. "As you wish, blessed Moon-Shadow."

The glowing haze flared briefly, then faded away. The rest of the wolven camp murmured in awe as Regiskra descended the altar. Hasrok was already waiting for her at the base. "Even blessed Moon-Shadow knows that the thunder-foots are about to fall." Regiskra sneered at the bigger wolven. "Will you still bark your scorn at my visions?"

"I see pretty smoke and an old dog talking to herself," Hasrok growled. "I will not believe until I am standing on FangBreaker's rubble and feasting on the thunder-foots who defend it."

"Then sharpen your appetite, Hasrok," Regiskra replied. "You will be feasting soon." She turned her attention towards the rest of the gathered wolven. "Blessed Moon-Shadow has heard our prayer! She goes now among Terrato's wretched herd to rend them from inside." The camp erupted in cheers. "We will do our part as well. We will release the wolven-eyed thunder-foot and send him back to FangBreaker." At that, the wolven fell silent and murmured among themselves. "Do not doubt!" Regiskra's rasping voice rose to dramatic heights. "We do not do this out of mercy. He is the Breaker from my vision. He fights for the thunder-foots, but he will be their downfall. He will turn cursed Terrato against his sisters and set thunder-foot against thunder-foot. When the blood-haze of their infighting fades, the wolven will feast on the remains!"

The camp burst into cheers and howls when Regiskra finished. Still grinning, she retired to her tent to tend their "prisoner." Hasrok could only watch and sneer at her ability to play the crowd.

* * *

><p>Vanguard had not remained idle inside the tent when Regiskra left him alone. He struggled to his hooves. When that failed, he dragged himself closer to the tent flaps to see what was going on. As he suspected, he was in the middle of a large wolven camp. This one was much bigger than the last one he had attacked. It was an advance unit of Wolvengard's army. There were scouts of course, the smallest of the wolven, but there were also their warriors who were much bigger and much more armored. Their collars bristled with spikes while their flanks and shoulders were covered in layered plates of metal. He even saw a couple of their berserkers, enormous wolven twice, the size of any pony, with bulging muscles and freakishly huge jaws and claws.<p>

Vanguard knew better than to focus just on the strengths of his enemy, however. Even though he was badly injured and had just gone through the betrayal of a trusted friend, he still took note of information he believed was useful. He saw the argument between Regiskra and the big wolven and noted that there was a power struggle within this pack between the leader of their warriors and what appeared to be some kind of seer or shaman.

He also saw what happened at the strange structure at the center of the camp. It must be the same structure that Commander Dreadstep had told him about. So it was an altar meant to call something that had been hiding in Equestria. The mysterious entity that Regiskra called forth was worrisome. Whoever and whatever this "Moon-Shadow" was, it was bad news for the fortress. These wolven made no secret that FangBreaker was their target. It was a shame that he could not hear what the thing and the crone had been talking about.

Then, there was Regiskra's constant referring to him as "the Breaker". Vanguard snorted at the thought that he was a part of some convoluted wolven hallucination. He had no intention of "breaking" the Legion. Far from it, he had to make it back to the fortress now in order to save it from Pyre Valor's betrayal. Still, if it meant that he could escape this wolven camp and make it back, he was willing to go along with their so called prophecies.

When he noticed Regiskra walking back to the tent, he dragged himself back to the makeshift bed. The friction from rubbing against the ground made his burns sting horribly, a pain he bore quietly. Regiskra poked her head through the tent flaps and grinned at the sight of Vanguard. "Were you watching, wolven-eyed thunder-foot?" she asked. "Look all you want. There is no need to hide it. Play the loyal spy for cursed Terrato. Give him gifts of what you have seen, what you have endured, and who you have killed. You will still be the Breaker."

"You spout overconfident lies, crone," Vanguard growled. "The Legion will not be broken. Not by your king and certainly not by me."

"So I'm a liar now?" Regiskra laughed. Vanguard's nose wrinkled as flecks of her spit landed on his hooves. "We will see, wolven-eyes. Now, rest and gather your strength. You will need it for your return to your precious fort." She settled over the other side of the tent and closed her eyes. After some time, her breathing became steady and a rasping snore escaped her mouth.

Vanguard settled down. With his injuries, he was in no condition to go anywhere. Despite the strange circumstances, he had to take advantage of them and get back to FangBreaker. Though he scorned the so-called "visions" of this crone, he felt a great uneasiness. His thoughts shifted to what he had done just days ago. What if the crone's vision meant that? Had he set about events that would cause the downfall that these wolven were talking about? All he wanted was a chance for somepony to remember what she experienced out here. Perhaps that was a foolish triviality as Pyre Valor had said. Being executed for it was something he could accept. Watching Equestria break because of it would haunt him beyond death.

'Twilight Sparkle…have I made a mistake?'

Though he was tired, Vanguard remained awake. He stared at the top flap of the tent thinking of what Twilight Sparkle was up to. Had she thrown away his emblem and went about her daily life? After seeing what was happening here, Vanguard hoped for that. He was beginning to regret following that impulse days ago. Perhaps she had remembered and the Heartland was now in turmoil. For the sake of a triviality, he had indeed become "the Breaker".

Even the mere thought of it caused Vanguard Clash to shudder in horror.


	9. Rage and Resolve

**Upheaval: Breaking Point**

**Chapter 9: Rage and Resolve**

The loud music that came from Sugarcube Corner neither surprised nor disturbed anypony in Ponyville. Every passing pony could guess that there was another party inside the strange hybrid of house and cake, but that would be as noteworthy as saying that the noon sun currently shining in the skies was hot. Inside, five ponies and a baby dragon enjoyed themselves with dancing and food. There was a sixth pony in the house as well, one who wasn't enjoying the festivities laid out before her. Of all ponies, it was the celebrant.

Try as she might, Twilight Sparkle could not bring herself to have fun with everypony. The enormous "Welcome back, Twilight!" banner made her feel a little guilty. This party was for her and, so far, she's been acting like a stick in the mud. It wasn't a subtle act either. Before long, her friends began to notice. Sure enough, a certain orange-coated pony walked up to her with a look of concern.

"You okay there, partner?" Applejack asked. "Can't help but notice that you've been under the weather all day."

"I'm fine, Applejack," Twilight answered. "I'm…I'm just not really in a celebrating mood right now."

"I told that Pinkie that we should give it a few days before throwing anything!" Applejack said. "That filly had to insist that this was what you needed after…whatever it is that happened to you. Can you believe that she threw a "Welcome back" party yesterday? When you didn't show up, she turned it into a "Hope Twilight finds whatever she's looking for in Canterlot" party!"

"Oh, I can believe that," Twilight said with a giggle. "Two parties in a row is actually a remarkable show of restraint for Pinkie."

"Well, you're smiling a bit. That's an improvement. Cheer up, Twilight. Whatever happened, you've gone past it. That's worth celebrating."

"I guess it is. Thank you, Applejack."

Applejack nodded and grinned, before heading over to join Rainbow Dash over at the apple bobbing tub. Twilight shook her head in an attempt to clear it and made her way towards the buffet table. Applejack was right. She had gone past the experience. Her friends were here and they were happy. She should be happy too. 'As Princess Luna said, I can just walk away. After a few months, I will forget everything about the Equestrian Legion.' She looked ahead and noticed that she wasn't alone. After a quick inspection of the bowl to check for stray alligators, Rarity was sampling the punch. Upon seeing Twilight, she approached with an apologetic expression. "Twilight dear, I must apologize most sincerely for the trouble I brought to you," she said.

"What are you talking about, Rarity?" Twilight asked. "You've never brought me any trouble."

"If I hadn't found that wretched gem, you and Spike wouldn't have had to go through all that trouble!"

"That wasn't your fault at all," Twilight said. "You had no idea what gem was capable of and I was the one who was careless with it."

"Still, I should have just let it be. I've thought about it and I realized that I was looting a corpse! A truly horrible thing to do!"

"A corpse, that's right…" Twilight's voice trailed off. Spike had mentioned the dead pony inside the cave with the gem. Prince Terrato had called it a mana battery, a tool of war that shouldn't exist in the Heartland. For the mana battery to have found its way here would mean that the dead pony was probably a legionnaire. What had happened to him? Why had he come here? Twilight shook her head again. How was she supposed to walk away when she kept digging for answers about the Legion?

"Are you alright, dear?" Rarity asked.

"Yes, I am."

"Spike told me that you don't even remember what happened after you used your magic with that gem. Is that what's bothering you?"

Twilight hesitated before answering. The answer was the opposite. She had remembered and that was what was bothering her. "Um…yes," she replied. Should she tell them? Part of her, the intuitive part, wanted to. It would ease the burden somehow. They were her friends. It seemed only right that she be honest with them. The stern lecturer side of her disagreed vehemently. It was against Princess Celestia's wishes for one thing. The more ponies in on a secret, the less likely it would remain as such. Would she really involve them knowing that they could be punished for knowing what she knew?

"I'm sure that everything will be alright whether you remember or not," Rarity said.

Twilight nodded. "Rarity, would you mind if I ask you a question?" she asked.

"Well, you're already asking one," Rarity replied. "But of course, dear."

"If Equestria was under attack and you were needed to defend it, would you go?"

"Why of course! Far be it from me to avoid doing my part if all of Equestria was in danger!"

"What if the danger never went away? What if you had to keep defending Equestria? You'd have no more time for running a boutique or for any kind of fashion. Would you still go?"

The mention of having no more time for fashion caused Rarity's eyes to widen. Twilight could tell that she was picturing such a life. Rarity shut her eyes tight and shuddered before answering. "That would be horrible!" she replied. "Absolutely horrible!"

"Then you won't go?" Twilight asked.

"Of course I'll still go."

"Even though that it would be absolutely horrible?"

Rarity smiled wistfully. "Even if it would be absolutely horrible. That's what it means to give, am I right?"

The answer left Twilight a little stunned. When she recovered, she could only nod quietly. 'That's right,' she thought.

"Now, why such a serious question, Twilight? Something on your mind?"

"Um…no, not really. Just doing a little speculating."

"Oh, I see. Perhaps you can speculate about something a bit brighter next time? I mean, a life without fashion…ugh! What could possibly be more terrible than that?"

"How about if no one even knew what you were doing? That you'd be out there fighting while life went on normally for everypony?" Twilight asked. She regretted the question immediately. She was still at it, hammering away at a topic she should be trying to forget. Why she even started asking Rarity all these questions eluded her.

"Now that's just impossible," Rarity replied.

The answer surprised Twilight, prompting her to speak again, despite every attempt to just be quiet. "Why is that?" she asked.

"Well, you said that Equestria was being attacked," Rarity said. "I'm sure that everypony would be doing his or her share. There is no way you could do your part and not have anypony notice."

"You're right," Twilight said. "Everypony would be doing their part. This is Equestria we're talking about." Her voice rose with conviction. "Everypony's Equestria!"

The determination in Twilight's face threw Rarity into confusion. "You're certainly getting worked up about this, Twilight," she said.

"I am, aren't I?" Twilight said. "Thank you, Rarity." She left the even more confused unicorn by the buffet table and made her way towards the party's host. Pinkie Pie was dancing at the center of the room with her pet alligator and Fluttershy. "Pinkie!" she called out.

Pinkie looked over at Twilight's direction and gave an excited wave, all without missing a beat with her dancing. "Having a great time, Twilight?" she asked.

"I am," Twilight answered. She was sincere when she said that this time. Despite the strangeness of the past few days, her friends proved to be an unfailing source of support. "Thank you for the party, Pinkie, but I have to leave early."

Pinkie's mood dropped from bubbly to depressed. Before Twilight could even react, however, Pinkie had gone from that to understandingly cheery. "Sure, Twilight, I understand. Busy as always, huh?"

Twilight could have sworn that she had seen laboratory explosions that were less mercurial than Pinkie Pie. "Yes," she answered. "I'm sorry, I'll make it up to you some time."

"Oh, you don't have to worry about that! We're friends! It's not like we have to keep score over everything, right?"

There was a different gleam in Pinkie's eyes this time. It wasn't suspicion that she was hearing excuses, as she would have had some time ago. She had become more trusting and Twilight was glad to have been part of that change. "You're right," she said. "Thank you again."

Twilight left Sugarcube Corner with Spike on her back. "What's this all about now, Twilight?" he asked. "I was only halfway through that bucket of gems!"

"I'm going back to Canterlot," Twilight answered. She made her way back to her house to get some things ready. "Take a letter for me, would you?"

"Fine," Spike said. He pulled a piece of paper from…somewhere. Twilight never quite found out how he did that and he wouldn't tell. "Whenever you're ready," he said.

"Dear Princess Celestia," Twilight said. She paused briefly. This was the same beginning she used with all of her letters. Given the difference with what she wanted to write about this time, it felt a little…inappropriate.

"Well?" Spike asked. He tapped the paper with his quill.

"Yesterday, I discovered something a little different from what I learn here in Ponyville," Twilight said. "Today, I've learned something just as valuable. Because of these things, I would like to get a chance to talk to you in person."

Twilight paused again. The implications of what she was planning to do were frightening. Even with the resolve she got from her friends, she still hesitated. Would Princess Celestia even listen to what she had to say? Her teacher had been following this course of action for hundreds of years. Would she still be able to change it?

_"Trust me when I say that it will be for my sister's sake in the end."_

Luna's words were still fresh within Twilight's mind. The rational part of her wanted proof, but she felt that the younger princess was telling the truth. She shut her eyes momentarily, trying to keep it together until she sent the letter. She could feel Spike waiting patiently on her back, with his pen and paper at the ready. "Which is...which is why I'm going to Canterlot to get a private audience with you. I understand that you are very busy, so I will wait there until you find the time to see me. Your faithful student, Twilight Sparkle." The letter vanished in a fiery cloud of dragon breath and Twilight felt her fate seal. She was now committed to this course.

The two of them reached their home by the time the letter was sent. Spike hopped down Twilight's back and looked at her. "Are you okay, Twilight?" he asked. "You're shaking."

"Spike." Twilight swallowed as she stared at her home. When she first arrived at Ponyville, she had considered its library to be a temporary stay. It was her home now and the thought of not seeing again left her feeling cold and afraid. The vast plain surrounding FangBreaker Fortress out in the Barrier Lands felt like a void that would suck her out there and leave her adrift. "I…I think I might end up being banished at this rate."

"What? Banished? To where? Why? What is going on, Twilight?"

"If that happens, you're going to have to stay with another pony." She tried to muster a smile. "Maybe you can be a full time assistant for Rarity."

"Like hay I will! If you're banished, I'll still be hauling books for you in wherever you're being banished!" Spike said. He sighed. "Tell me what's going on, Twilight. At least, let me know why _we're_ getting banished."

Twilight looked at her companion both fondly and sadly. He had always been around to help her, no matter how small or large the task, and here she was about to get him exiled for his efforts. There would be no convincing him to change his mind. With that look on his face, even trying would be an insult. She did owe him the truth, especially after what she put him through when she disappeared and what she was about to put him through now. Would her friends give her this sort of look if they knew what she was up to? She dreaded the thought of sharing what she knew with them as well. She didn't want to uproot them and force them to live in exile for something she did. Better to keep this a secret from them. "I'll tell you then, Spike," she said. "Then it's off to Canterlot once more."

* * *

><p>"What do you mean he's dead?"<p>

Scarlet Rabbit's cry of surprise and disbelief turned several heads from passing legionnaires. Even Pyre Valor was a little startled, even though she had been expecting this kind of reaction. A day had passed since she left Vanguard's body in the middle of what should be a wolven-infested area by now. She made her report as soon as she had returned to FangBreaker. Before a composed and grim Commander Dreadstep, she had explained the mission's failure. She reported that their squad had run into an ambush by advance wolven troops before they could even reach the location. She was particularly solemn while she reported how Captain Vanguard Clash died a hero by letting them all escape while the wolven piled up on him and how the main wolven army will likely begin its attack in a few more days.

Pyre Valor had no problem calling the stallion she had just killed a hero. He had died trying to protect FangBreaker Fortress and prevent what he believed was a needless waste of pony lives. He was noble to the end. Misguided, but noble. It was still something she could respect.

Commander Dreadstep had not betrayed a single hint of emotion when she finished her report. He gave his condolences and asked that Vanguard's family be informed. Blademane had volunteered to tell Vanguard's mother while she talked to Sharpfangs.

Vanguard's father had also taken the news stoically. _"Expecting tears, Captain Pyre Valor?"_ he had asked._"My son died fighting for the Legion. I'm a little envious at the moment."_

Pyre Valor had to admit that she was a little envious too. Still, she knew that she was going to do the same soon, even if nopony will acknowledge her as they now acknowledged Vanguard Clash. She also didn't fail to notice the title that Sharpfangs addressed her with. For the remaining few days of her stay here in FangBreaker Fortress, she would be captain to two ponies. Her first and only act would be to ensure that the fort fell to its wolven attackers. One of her subordinates, however, was reacting to her news much more badly than its previous recipients. With Blademane back at her side, she had delivered the news to Scarlet Rabbit. He had been back long before they were, having completed a day's flight to Bastion City in a matter of hours.

"That's impossible!" Scarlet cried out. "He's the captain! The captain doesn't die in a random encounter! You've made a mistake and I'm going to check it out myself!"

Blademane rushed forward and held on to Scarlet before he could fly off.

"The wolven have already overrun that place," Pyre said. "You'll have bolters on your flank the second you got anywhere near it."

"The captain will keep them off me while I extract him! Let go, Blademane!"

"Scarlet, Vanguard is dead! There is no mistake."

The pegasus squirmed to free himself, but Blademane was the bigger and stronger of the two of them. "I understand your pain," Blademane said. "But deluding yourself will help nopony."

"You understand nothing!" Scarlet snarled as he struggled harder. "The captain's gone and you're having about as much a reaction as a bar of soap! Pyre's alive and kicking so big shock that Blademane doesn't give a crap about anything else!"

Blademane hurled Scarlet to the ground and stepped on him with his front hooves, pinning him in place. "You will discipline yourself," he said. "With or without Vanguard Clash, we are still legionnaires."

Scarlet pushed the hooves aside and stood up. Without meeting either Pyre's or Blademane's gazes, he walked away. To Storm Brew's, Pyre noted. "Try to keep him from getting too rowdy," she told Blademane. He nodded and followed the pegasus, leaving Pyre alone to take care of important matters. First, she had to talk with the ponies who were planning to sabotage the fort's defenses. They had to be informed that she was going along with the plan and taking over what Cold Hoof had failed in. That involved convincing them that she wasn't there round them all up and have them executed. Then, there would be the actual work of getting things ready for the wolven attack.

**_"Sounds like a lot of work to set up a stage where you can martyr yourself."_**

The voice jolted Pyre Valor out of her thoughts. Its soft and oily tone seemed to settle upon her being. She looked around and saw only the fort's ponies going about their business. The impending attack had everypony on edge. She shook her head. Was she hearing things? Were the things she had done already taking their toll on her psyche?

**_"You've murdered your oldest and dearest friend because he was going to stop you from killing hundreds of your brethren. Did you really have to ask that question?"_**

"Who are you?" Pyre whispered as she rounded the corner of one hall. "My conscience?" She smiled wryly at the suggestion. "You're a little late. Vanguard could have used you."

**_"Conscience is an excuse. A boring, fearful excuse. You'll find me a little more colorful than that."_**

'Explain yourself or be silent,' Pyre Valor thought. This…thing was reading her mind so she figured that she may as well answer mentally. She continued to walk the halls until she arrived at her quarters. There, she closed and locked the door behind her.

**_"Explain myself? That would take forever. How about I just give you a name? The wolven call me "Moon-Shadow", but you ponies use a more elegant name: "Nightmare Moon"."_**

'I'm talking to an old mare's tale about Celestia's petulant little sister?'

**_"And I'm talking to an insect who hasn't lived a century, but spouts big words like "justice" and "truth". We can trade barbs all day, or you can listen to what I have to say."_**

'Then say what you have to say.'

**_"I'm here to help you-!"_**

"I don't need anypony's help. Especially not the help of somepony whose reputation for losing is literally the stuff of legends."

**_"You're right, I lost. I know the path to defeat quite well and I'm quite sure you're galloping on it at the moment. I also happen to know that it took Celestia's strongest magics to subdue me, but it will take her a second and an irritated grunt to deal with you."_**

The mere mention of Princess Celestia blotted out the voice in a haze of rage. Pyre Valor paused a moment as she set aside the name of the pony she blamed for everything, including Vanguard's death.

**_"And so we come to our common enemy. You've made a brave stand here, Pyre Valor, and the sacrifice you're going to make is grand indeed. Nevertheless, do you really think you can reach Celestia and the Heartland with just this? She will overcome this attack, then continue on acting as if you and what you fought for never existed. You and all the ponies of this fortress will die, while the rest of the Heartland fusses over the next grand party at the Royal Palace."_**

'She will hear me!' Pyre Valor thought. 'All of Equestria Proper will hear the truth, no matter what the cost!'

**_"Well spoken. Merge with me, Pyre Valor. Together, we can accomplish what we cannot alone."_**

'At what price?' Pyre Valor asked. 'You're not looking to be martyred. That, I'm sure of.'

**_"Shrewd and determined. You want to threaten Equestria to force it to acknowledge the truth, I want to tear it apart completely. You place your faith in the Legion's ability to eventually win despite setbacks, I place my faith in being able to destroy it utterly. I'm not asking for a price. I'm asking that we make a bet with the fate of Equestria at stake. We will attack it with all our might until Terrato is forced to take desperate measures. If the Legion overcomes us, then you win. If we destroy the Legion and plunge Equestria into darkness, then I win."_**

Pyre Valor closed her eyes. She hadn't agreed to anything yet, but she could already feel immense magical power welling up from inside her. The offer was dangerous and could easily spiral out of control, but it would be enough for the truth to finally reach the Heartland. If the truth had to shine through Nightmare Moon's darkness…

'So be it.'


	10. Defiant Stand

**Upheaval: Breaking Point**

**Chapter 10: Defiant Stand**

_My dearest and most faithful student Twilight Sparkle,_

_Of course I have time to see you. Especially since your letter sounds so urgent. Come to the palace as soon as you are able to and I will be waiting._

Princess Celestia's reply had come swiftly, as Twilight had come to expect given Spike's abilities. "Dearest and most faithful student" was a point of pride for her. Now, it felt like a very heavy title. For all of Princess Celestia's faith in her, here she was carrying knowledge that she shouldn't be. 'And I have just as much faith in her as she does in me,' she thought. 'Which is why I'm going to talk to her about this, instead of sneaking around.' The threat of punishment loomed over her. 'Even…even if I'm afraid of what she might do.'

Once more, Twilight was back in Canterlot. It was late afternoon by the time she had arrived and the slowly setting sun cast everything in a red-orange light. The city's magnificent buildings didn't feel so welcoming now. Today, Canterlot was not her old home where she spent many wonderful years studying under her beloved teacher. Today, Canterlot was the mighty capital of Equestria, the home of their ruler, the most powerful pony in the entire world, and a testament to the unbroken centuries of her dominion. Canterlot had always been big, but this was the first time it loomed over her and she felt very small indeed. On her back, she could feel Spike shiver slightly. That alone told her that he was feeling the same way.

"We're really going through with this, aren't we?" Spike asked.

"Yes," Twilight said. "Spike, it's not too late for you. You can go back and forget what I told you."

"I won't!" Spike said. "Especially if you won't. I've never met anypony from this 'Equestrian Legion', but if you believe that you have to do this, then I believe in you."

"Thank you, Spike. That means a lot."

"Maybe we could stop at Donut Joe's first?" Spike asked. "They might be the last doughnuts we'll ever eat in 'the Heartland'."

"Spike!"

"I'm just kidding! I could use a little humor, especially when all these buildings look like they're going to fall on me for going along with you."

Despite her fear, Twilight made her way immediately to the Royal Palace. Walking through what should be the familiar halls of her mentor's home, she was now aware of details that had escaped her before. The white stone walls looked especially cold today. The halls and chambers looked much bigger and grander. The royal guards posted at the entrances looked especially stern. She wondered why Princess Celestia would need so many stallions to guard her home when danger was so unlikely to come to Canterlot, let alone the Royal Palace.

Finally, Twilight reached the throne room where she faced the long stairs that led to Princess Celestia's seat. The princess stood atop the stairs, as majestic as ever. Her colorful mane flowed around her despite the lack of wind and her great, white-feathered wings spread out from either side of her. Here in the Heartland, Celestia towered over everypony. The elevation of her throne only heightened that great difference between her and the rest of her subjects. To look upon the princess was to look up.

"Twilight, you've arrived," Celestia said. She gestured to the guards that flanked her throne. They departed silently, leaving the throne room empty.

Twilight heard the great doors behind her shut, the sound echoed within the empty room with a sense of finality. Hundreds of chances passed her by on her way to this place and she had ignored each one of them. There was no turning back now.

"Your last letter sounded very important," Celestia said. "What did you want to talk about?" Nothing had changed in the way she spoke to her student. For all her mentor's power and rank, Twilight had always been at ease with the princess. Their lessons had always been fun and their conversations, casual. She walked forward while Spike dismounted and followed by her side. She was determined to stay honest no matter the cost.

"Your highness," Twilight said. "I came here to talk about the Equestrian Legion."

* * *

><p>"Tell me again why we decided to come all the way out here to Canterlot."<p>

With a slightly annoyed frown, Rarity directed the question at Pinkie Pie, who was happily leading the group through the streets of Canterlot.

"Haven't you noticed how Twilight's been looking really stressed and acting weird ever since she came back from…wherever it was that she disappeared to?" Pinkie asked.

"I have," Rarity said. "I don't see where following her to Canterlot fits in."

"I figured that we can all surprise her and help her out. Maybe if we can help her with whatever she's doing, she won't need to go to Canterlot so often!"

"Or we could just be disturbing her and our disturbance will result in less of her work being done, making her have to come here even more." When Rarity saw Pinkie's wide, uncomprehending grin, she decided to just be silent.

"Rarity, if you don't think we should be doing this then why'd you come along?" Applejack asked.

"Well, she was acting strangely," Rarity replied. "And that odd question she asked…I was curious. Since everypony had decided to go…"

"Um…girls?" Fluttershy looked around the city and edged closer to her friends for comfort. Canterlot was huge and bustling with activity. Much more so if compared to Ponyville. "How do we even find her here?"

Despite their better judgment, all of them turned towards the pony who brought them all here.

"I don't know! I didn't plan that far ahead!" Pinkie replied.

Several hooves encountered their respective faces.

"I know!" Rainbow Dash said. "Let's ask one of the guards. They know Twilight, they probably saw her come here and where she was going!"

"Listen to what you're saying, dear," Rarity replied. "It's not like every royal guard in Canterlot knows who Twilight-!"

Before Rarity could finish, Rainbow Dash had already flown towards a nearby pair of patrolling guards. When the rest of them came closer, one of the guards was already answering.

"Miss Sparkle? I saw her heading for the palace earlier. I heard from the previous shift that she had requested a private audience. Her highness just booted all the guards from the throne room. Makes me wonder why she even has-!"

The other guard nudged the talking one hard, prompting him to stop himself.

"Er…like I said, she should be in the Royal Palace."

The two guards moved on, leaving the five of them by the street.

"It's getting a little late, but let's wait for Twilight by the palace!" Pinkie said.

"Do you think that's alright?" Rarity asked. "Is the Royal Palace even open to the public, especially when it's getting close to nighttime?"

"Can't hurt to try," Applejack said. "We'll wait outside if they won't let us in."

The five of them made their way to the Royal Palace. Despite its precarious position by the side of a sheer cliff, it didn't take them long to get there. The palace was bustling with activity when they got there, with the royal guards in the middle of changing shifts, and preparing for Princess Luna's moon raising. To their relief, they were allowed to enter, so long as they didn't get underhoof.

"Miss Sparkle is still in the throne room," another guard said when they asked him for directions. "Don't cause trouble while you wait. The next shift is getting antsy because they have to stand outside until she finishes. She hasn't caused this much of a commotion with the guards since that Cloud Conjuration incident." The guard shuddered before moving on.

"I take it back," Rarity muttered. "Every royal guard does know who Twilight is. What a surprisingly well-informed garrison."

They reached the hall outside the throne room where a squad of royal guards was indeed waiting.

"Wonder what they could be talking about in there," Rainbow Dash said.

"Rainbow, put a damper on that train of thought," Applejack said. "Next thing you know you'll be-!"

"Halt!" one of the guards shouted. "What do you think you're doing?"

The warning had come too late. Rainbow Dash had flown past the guards and put her ear to the double doors that led to the throne room.

* * *

><p>"How do you know about that?"<p>

When Twilight had asked the question, she had expected a range of emotions from Princess Celestia: anger, surprise, disappointment. She hadn't expected a withering, despairing look that made her cringe on the spot. For a moment, the princess looked as if she was watching a nightmare come into reality right before her eyes. The urge to run nearly overpowered Twilight. "I…" She swallowed hard and steeled herself. "I broke the memory lock spell that was placed on me."

It was as if something had descended upon Princess Celestia and sucked away all her emotions. Twilight blinked and looked closer. Her mentor appeared…less vibrant. Even her colorful, flowing mane fell still. Her silence was unbearable. It made the throne room, which had always been a majestic sight, feel like the inside of a dungeon. Finally, Celestia spoke. "My brother never liked using his magic," she said. "That is why his legionnaires call him names like 'Trampler Terrato' or 'Bloody-hoofed Terrato.'"

Twilight remained silent. Celestia spoke in a subdued monotone. It was impossible to tell how her mentor was now feeling.

"But that doesn't mean that his magic is weak," Celestia continued. "As strong as you are, you would have needed help, a trigger of some sort. What was it? Do you still have it?"

"It was-!" Twilight stopped herself. Captain Vanguard Clash would surely get into a lot of trouble if she showed the princess his emblem. Celestia would ask her brother to find out to whom it belonged and it wouldn't be long before he faced punishment. As a legionnaire, he may come out of it worse than her. Celestia continued to stare at her. She had to give some answer. "I can't tell you," she said.

A hint of emotion finally crossed the princess's face: disappointment. Twilight felt herself shrink on the spot. "You are protecting somepony," Celestia said. "I understand. Twilight, I cannot allow knowledge of Equestrian Legion to spread here. I won't ask you how you came upon it, but, please, give me the trigger and submit yourself to another memory lock. It's for the best."

"Why?"

The question put a puzzled look on Celestia's face. "What do you mean?" she asked.

"Why would it be for the best?" Twilight asked. "This is why I came here today, your highness. Why must nopony in the Heartland know about the Equestrian Legion?"

The puzzlement on Celestia's face turned to resignation. "If it will convince you to submit to a memory lock, then I will tell you." She descended the stairs to her throne so that she was on the same level as Twilight. "When we first took it upon ourselves to rule Equestria, Terrato, Luna, and I strove to protect all of ponykind. This realm was always been meant to be a safe haven for ponies, a place meant to nurture harmony."

A deep frown furrowed Celestia's eyebrows as she continued. Twilight shivered. She had never seen such an expression on her mentor's face not even during her worst miscasting during their lessons.

"We were attacked almost immediately. We never provoked anyone. All we wanted was to live in peace."

"Why would they attack?" Twilight asked.

"Fenrir wanted Luna to be his bride." Disgust crept into Celestia's tone. "When she refused, he declared that he would tear into Equestria to take her. Arugek hates anything that isn't an ursan. The ophidites consider ponies to be a delicacy. Sesyth doesn't want neighbors, he wants a farm. Despite their vicious and cruel ways, we kept all of them at bay."

The disgust disappeared from Celestia's voice, replaced by sadness.

"But we were losing. Terrato led the Legion to one victory after another, but it wasn't enough to stop the loss."

"I don't understand," Twilight said. "You were protecting Equestria."

"I was protecting our territory," Celestia replied. "I was protecting everypony's body, but I had to also protect who we were. The constant fighting was an assault on our very identity. Ponies are creatures of harmony: of honesty, loyalty, kindness, generosity, laughter, and magic. The war was destroying that identity and I could do nothing to stop it. You have been to the Barrier Lands. Have you seen what the wolven are like?"

Twilight nodded. A shiver ran through her as she remembered the savage, lupine creatures that lunged at her.

"Terrifying creatures." Celestia continued. "Fenrir wants his subjects to be as vicious as possible and they are eager to please him. Yet, they are not what I fear most. The stuff of my nightmares is seeing my subjects become more and more like them. I've walked past a group of ponies while they talked about the best way to crush a wolven. I've listened to captains comparing how many ursans they have killed, then had them look to me for praise. I've watched a pony get shot to death with poison arrows, while the pony next to him just shrugged and went on fighting." Celestia was silent for a moment. When she spoke, her voice had dropped to barely above a whisper. "I have watched my own little sister clap excitedly while my brother told her how he stabbed out the eye of the King of Wolvengard. These were the things that we were losing Equestria to. These things kept me up at night. Sometimes, they still do. Something had to be done."

Through the throne room's great windows, Twilight noticed that nighttime had completely settled. Princess Luna's magic was already at work as a stream of moonlight filled the room.

"I am not all-powerful," Celestia continued. "I had to accept that. I cannot wave a hoof and make all our enemies disappear. The Legion is needed and there must always be ponies to join it. I cannot save everypony, so I did what I could. I took as many as possible with me and created the Heartland. It was a hard decision, but it had to be made. Even those who were to be left outside believed that it had to be done."

Celestia looked at Twilight earnestly, pleadingly. "Do you understand now?" she asked. "Sacrifices were made to protect Equestria. If you spread the knowledge of what the Legion is, they will all be for naught. Please, Twilight, give me the trigger and subject yourself to another memory lock."

Twilight found herself frozen in place. It wasn't fear that kept her paralyzed. It was hesitation. Next to her, Spike looked completely lost. He looked up to her, wordlessly reminding her that he would go along with whatever decision she made. She couldn't ignore the part of her that wanted to agree with Princess Celestia. Perhaps she'd be better off just forgetting and trusting in her mentor's decisions. But, try as she might, she couldn't listen to that part. "I can't," she said.

"Twilight!" Celestia said.

"I understand why you did it, your highness, but I can't agree with you on this. No matter what kind of fate awaits ponykind, even if war does change us for the worst, we have to face it together. Not by leaving others behind and forgetting them. Please, your highness, this division must stop. Your brother and the Legion stand strong in the Barrier Lands, but they will stand stronger with us! Please, take down your barrier and let everypony fight for our Equestria!"

Celestia looked upon her student in disbelief. Her face twisted in hesitation as the words and their meaning dawned upon her. She was silent for a while, as if fighting a battle with herself. Then, she closed her eyes briefly before speaking, her face resolved as she did so. "I won't," she answered. "This is how things should be. You must understand, Twilight! Understand and go through the memory lock! Otherwise, I will be forced to banish you. I must sacrifice even my faithful student to protect Equestria."

And there it was. Twilight had come to Canterlot knowing how real the threat of banishment was. To hear it actually come from the princess left her breathless. The throne room was silent, save for the hammering of her heart in her ears. Her life in the Heartland flashed before her: her days being with her parents, her days studying in Canterlot, her days in Ponyville…

"I'm going to miss this place," Twilight whispered. She looked at Princess Celestia, her mentor and dear friend, and tried to muster a weak smile. "And I'm going to miss you. But I can't just turn a blind eye and walk away. I just can't."

A trickle of tears flowed from Celestia's face, dropping forlornly unto the cold, white stone floor. They were mirrored by Twilight's own looked away, sniffling while he buried his face in his claws. For some time, they remained silently weeping.

Then the tears stopped as Celestia raised herself to full height. Her face was stern in judgment as she spoke in the traditional way of a princess addressing a subject. "Then so be it," she said. Her words echoed across the throne room. "For Equestria's sake, Twilight Sparkle, you are hereby banished to the Barrier Lands." Her face softened and her voice cracked. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "But you've left me no other choice."

"Wait!"

The doors to the throne room burst open and a sky-blue pegasus flew towards them in a streak of rainbow colors.

"Rainbow Dash!" Twilight exclaimed.

"Your highness, please don't do this!" Rainbow Dash said. She bowed so low that her forehead touched the floor. "Whatever Twilight did, please forgive her. Please don't banish her!"

One of the royal guards flew in and tackled Rainbow Dash, pinning her to the ground. "Stop right there, pegasus pony!" he said. "Your spree is at an end!"

"This is bad," Spike said. "If Rainbow's here then-!"

Twilight turned around. As she had guessed, the rest of her friends came charging into the throne room. Princess Celestia gestured at the guard, who let Rainbow Dash get up.

"Is Dash right, Twilight?" Applejack asked as she came running up to them. All of their friends followed soon after. They stood in a protective circle around Twilight. "Are you getting banished?"

"What could you have possibly done to merit such punishment?" Rarity asked before Twilight could answer. She turned towards Celestia and bowed. "I also respectfully ask for reconsideration, your highness."

"I do not wish to do this," Celestia replied. "It is Twilight who has chosen this fate."

The other ponies looked to Twilight, eyes quietly asking for an explanation.

"I can't tell you," Twilight said. "Or you'll be dragged into this too!"

"I'm not getting dragged anywhere!" Applejack replied. "I'm jumping right in! So spill the beans already, Twilight!"

When Twilight refused to answer, Rainbow Dash stepped in. "Who cares what she's done?" she asked. "If Twilight's getting banished then…then I'm going with her!"

Twilight gasped. "Rainbow, no!" Of all the times Rainbow Dash's impulsiveness caused trouble, this would be the worst possible occasion.

"I'm going too!" Applejack added.

"And I as well," Rarity said. "If nothing else can be done, that is," she added.

"I…I'm going if my friends are," Fluttershy said.

"Count me in!" Pinkie chimed in. "Can we throw a farewell party first? Banishment party?"

Upon seeing Twilight's horrified expression, Celestia spoke again. "Now you have a taste of the kind of decisions I must make," she told Twilight. "Are you still so willing to stand your ground in this when your friends must share your fate?"

Twilight quailed at the thought of involving all her friends in her banishment. Could she do this? How could she even live in banishment with all the guilt? She looked at each of them. "Don't do this!" she implored.

"We'll go through this together!" Applejack said.

"But you have family! They'll miss you!"

For a moment, Applejack hesitated, but her determined expression returned quickly. "They still have each other. I'm not letting you go on alone."

"But you don't even know _why_ I'm getting banished! Or where I'm being banished to!"

"Doesn't matter!" Rainbow Dash said. "If you believe in it, that's good enough for me. I'm with you, Twilight!"

Twilight looked around her, trying desperately to keep what was happening from continuing.

"And don't you go back on your decision either," Rarity said. "This is a sacrifice we're willing to make. Don't turn it around and give up on what you believe in because we held you back."

"Everyone…" Twilight sniffed and choked as she tried to speak. "Everyone please…" One more look at their determined faces and she gave up. Her voice quivering, she stood at the center of her friends and faced her mentor. "I won't change my mind. Just as I said, no matter what fate we face, we face it together. This is how ponies should be."

At the sight of them, Celestia looked away. Already, her horn glowed a brilliant white light. The royal guards stepped back, fearful of the punishment their princess was about to inflict.

"Is there anywhere in the Barrier Lands you wish to go?" Celestia asked.

Twilight knew her answer right away. It was the only place she knew and she wanted to do something over there as well. "FangBreaker Fortress," she replied.

With a curt nod, Princess Celestia waved her horn above them, surrounding them in a nimbus of brilliant white light.

"Well, at least Rarity's coming," Spike muttered. "Barrier Lands, here we come!"

A flash of magic seared away the sight of Celestia's emotionless gaze.

* * *

><p>Once more, Twilight found herself on the wings of a powerful teleportation spell. There was no confusion this time. She knew exactly where she was going and why. She didn't fall on anything as well. Her mentor's spell was perfectly precise. She was standing on a stone floor as soon as she felt the spell recede. It was only a matter of time before the glare gave way.<p>

"Where are we?" Spike asked as he rubbed his eyes.

When her vision cleared, Twilight looked around. Her friends were having more difficulty adjusting their eyes. Likely because they weren't used to even short teleportations, let alone a long distance once. They were in the same audience chamber where she met Prince Terrato. There were no ponies besides them around, though. "FangBreaker Fortress." she answered.

"Fang-breaking what?" Applejack asked. She looked like she was about to throw up.

"I can't believe we actually went through that," Rarity said. She was adjusting much better than the others thanks to her affinity with magic. "I just hope we're somewhere civilized."

Before Twilight could reply, the doors to the audience chamber burst open. She turned towards the sound, expecting to encounter some guards.

A trio of snarling wolven burst through the doorway and charged.


	11. A Violent Welcome

**Upheaval: Breaking Point**

**Chapter 11: A Violent Welcome**

The wolven were a good thirty feet or so when they spotted Twilight and her friends. She blinked onc, and they had already closed three quarters of that distance. Around her, her friends were still recovering from the powerful teleportation spell that had taken them to the Barrier Lands. Only Rarity seemed coherent enough to react to the attack. The rest were still groggy and dazed. There wasn't a single moment to spare. Her mind racing, Twilight cast the first available spell that came to mind.

A mass of black hair sprouted all over the lead wolven's snout.

Twilight's heart nearly stopped at the botched spell. Fortunately for her, the sudden growth of hair around its nose startled the lead wolven enough to slow its pace slightly. The two behind it nearly crashed into their leader, allowing her to get another spell off. This time, the lead wolven levitated from the floor, surrounded by a purple nimbus of light. Twilight hurled it towards the two behind it, sending all three of them tumbling to the ground. "Run!" she shouted at her friends. Already, she could see the wolven rising and snarling from the corner of her eye. They would be upon her and her friends in a matter of seconds.

The urgency in Twilight's voice snapped the rest of them out of their daze. Rarity had but to take a single look at the enormous, lupine creatures coming at them to immediately try to get the others moving. "You can vomit later, Applejack," Rarity said as she tried to get Applejack on her hooves. "Right now, we need to run!"

Applejack tried to run, only to lurch to her left. Rarity caught her before she could fall over, then proceeded to half-drag and half-carry her to the doors. Behind her, both Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy had recovered enough to follow suit while supporting Pinkie Pie, who was doing her best to run…in the opposite direction.

With her friends needing more time, Twilight continued to face the trio of wolven. As she had expected, she was already feeling the strain of using her magic outside the Heartland. One of the wolven jumped at her while the two circled around trying to either surround her or get to her vulnerable friends. Twilight caught the charging wolven in her telekinetic grip. She hesitated for a second, realizing that she couldn't repeat the same tactic over and over. The wolven were already learning. They had separated to avoid being knocked down as a group and their persistence would mean that she would tire long before they did.

_"What are you waiting for? Beat it against the ground until it's dead!"_

Twilight smashed the floating wolven against the stone floor head first, stunning it. She then hurled it towards one of the circling wolven, knocking it over. When the third jumped at her from her side, she ducked and hoped for the best. Sure enough, it jumped past her. She had successfully avoided its vicious jaws, but not without a cost.

As she saw the wolven's shadow on the floor near her, Twilight felt as if her back had caught fire. The agonizing pain jolted her train of thought and sapped the strength from her knees. Something wet and sticky ran down her sides and dripped on the floor. She didn't need to look to know what it was. Despite the pain, she struggled to her hooves and looked to see where her friends were. Rarity and the others had made it to the doors at last. Panic and relief fought within her as she limped towards them as fast as she could.

"Twilight look out!" Rarity cried out. She let Applejack go and rushed forward. The wolven had recovered and were in hot pursuit. A faint light blue glow surrounded one of them, but it ignored the spell and kept charging. The telekinetically gripped wolven merely growled in annoyance as it found its pace slightly slowed. Beads of sweat formed around Rarity's forehead as she struggled to maintain the spell, but she couldn't even lift a single paw.

"Run, Rarity!" Twilight tried to shout, but her warning came out weak and strained. "Our magic is weakened here, just run!"

Rainbow Dash left Pinkie with Fluttershy and flew towards Twilight to support her. They managed to get to the hallway with the wolven just a few feet away.

"What are you ponies still doing here?" somepony shouted. "Get to the evacuation a-Terrato's broken horn! They've made it this far already!"

A pair of heavily-barded ponies charged into the fray. One of them crashed right into the mustache-sporting wolven just as it was about to land on Twilight. Fangs and claws scraped against metal plating as the guard slammed the wolven against a wall. The other two wolven changed their focus from the seemingly helpless, fleeing prey to the armored threats that had arrived. The second guard followed after his comrade, positioning his back against the other guard and rearing up to keep the other two at bay. "Move, ponies!" he yelled. "Get to the evacuation area!"

The six of them ran for it. The sudden fighting had jolted them out of any lingering daze. A sense of panic began to build in Twilight as they ran. Evacuation area? Her friends didn't even know where they were. She only saw this place once! They were going to get lost in a place that's being attacked by wolven. To make matters worse, she was hurt and lagging behind the rest while drops of blood trickled from her back.

Atop Applejack, Spike watched Twilight with concern. "Twilight!" he called out. "Do you know where we should go?"

"I've only been here once." Twilight answered as they rounded one corner. "I think…" She looked around to get her bearings. Desperately, she beat back the panic and confusion. 'I think I can get us to the courtyard from here. If the fort is under attack, there will be more wolven there, but we can also find some ponies who'll know!"

"Sounds like you know this place better than any of us," Applejack said. "We'll follow you."

With every pony around her looking to her for guidance, Twilight led the way. The wound on her shoulder ached whenever she put her weight on her right foreleg, but she gritted her teeth through the pain. They passed through one hallway after another. She looked around quickly, making snap decisions on where to turn to next based on the one time she had been through the place. She also listened closely for the sounds of ongoing battles to determine if she was heading where she needed to go. There were no ponies in the hallways she passed through and, with each corner she turned, she dreaded seeing more wolven. She was panting already when they descended a flight of stairs. That was when Fluttershy started running next to her.

"Twilight," Fluttershy said, "we need to bandage your wound."

"With what?" Twilight asked as she looked around. This hallway looked particularly familiar. They were getting close. The sounds of fighting were also getting louder. "We don't have anything to bandage it with and we don't have time to stop."

"But-but it's all over the floor!"

Twilight looked behind her to find a thin trail of blood leading up to where she was standing. This was getting bad. She had left an obvious trail for anything to follow. She was also starting to feel a little lightheaded. Each step she took with her right foreleg sent bolts of pain running through her shoulder. If they didn't find help soon, they would be in even greater danger. "No time," she said. "Now, this way."

After a few more hallways, Twilight started to limp. Her efforts had paid off, however. They finally came into the entrance hall of the fortress. They skidded to a stop as soon as they saw what was going on.

The main doors had been broken apart. There were splinters of wood scattered across the floor. All around them, an enormous battle raged. The sound of fearsome snarls and angry neighing mixed with the scraping of claws against metal barding and the cries of the injured, turning into deafening cacophony that pressed on them from all sides. Everywhere they looked, ponies and wolven were locked in fierce combat. One barded pony knocked down a wolven and reared up to bring his hooves down on his opponent's skull. A pair of wolven clamped their enormous jaws on another pony's neck and leg to drag him to the ground.

"Where are we?" Rainbow Dash cried out over the din. "What's going on?" Her voice was barely audible. The others could only stare in wide-eyed terror.

Twilight looked around again. This was a losing battle. She could tell with a glance. More wolven were coming in from the main entrance. It wouldn't be long until the ponies were overwhelmed. She looked past the broken doors to see what had happened. To her shock, all three gates that led to the fortress had been blasted apart. It was night, but she could see what had happened clearly as the gates were ablaze. Enormous gouts of flame lit up the night, bathing the scene of carnage in a red-orange glow. More wolven streamed into the fortress while squads of ponies fought desperately to hold them back. Despite the ponies' efforts, groups of wolven managed to break through and run into the fort.

"We can't go through this way..." Twilight said. She didn't know if her friends heard her, she barely had the strength to keep standing. "…there has to be some…some kind of back door."

"Twilight, watch out!" Spike shouted.

Twilight looked ahead in time to see a wolven jump at her. Its claws were a foot away and about to gouge her face off. Surprised, she could only close her eyes and prepare for the pain.

But the pain didn't come. When Twilight opened her eyes again, she was looking at black-barded side of a pony. The wolven that had charged at her was dead on the ground, its gut sliced open by an enormous blade. She looked at the weapon that had dealt the horrific wound and recognized the two-bladed sword clamped between her rescuer's teeth. "Vanguard Clash!" she said.

Vanguard turned to face her. She then noticed that something was wrong. His barding looked…distorted in some places, as if some of the plates had been partly melted. He was panting heavily and beads of sweat dripped from between the plates of his armor. "You're hurt," she said. Her vision started blurring as she fought to stay conscious.

* * *

><p>"And you're bleeding," Vanguard mumbled through his weapon. For a moment, he was frozen in shock when he found himself looking at Twilight Sparkle once more. Even from a distance, the sight of her surprised him, but he had convinced himself that it was just another purple unicorn. Standing in front of her and listening to her speak, he was sure now.<p>

Twilight was right. He was hurt. But the pain of his burns meant nothing compared to the sting of his failure. He had left the wolven camp as soon as he could put one hoof in front of the other, donned his barding, and made his way desperately back to FangBreaker Fortress. His injuries slowed him down and he had arrived too late. He had to skirt around the gathered wolven, then kill several of them just to get into the fort. Once inside, he had decided that he was going to defend the fortress to the death as penance for failing.

Seeing Twilight changed that, however. Whatever the reason why, she was back. His priority now was to get her to safety. Without another word, he put his head underneath her and lifted her up to his back. Twilight Sparkle didn't protest, and that only served to make her state even more worrisome. Vanguard saw the group of ponies that had run up to him. He didn't recognize any of them, but a quick look to their flanks told him everything. "Are you her friends?" he asked after replacing his weapon. "Follow me." He galloped towards the designated evacuation areas. He counted himself lucky for remembering where they were. Back in training, he had been inclined to forget about them. As if there was going to be a time when FangBreaker Fortress had to be abandoned...

"Wait!" a rainbow-maned pony flew up to Vanguard as he ran. "Who are you? How can we trust you?" she asked.

Forcing himself to ignore the bizarre coloration of the pony flying next to him, Vanguard answered quickly. "Introductions later. I'm a legionnaire and, right now, it's my job to get you all out of this fort. You can trust me or you can trust the wolven. Your choice."

"We need to bandage Twilight's wound," a yellow pegasus said as she flew up to him.

"What's that creature on the orange one's back? Put him on mine please."

"I'm Spike!" the creature said as the yellow pegasus placed him on Vanguard's back. "And I'm a dragon!"

"Tear off strips of my caparison and use those for bandaging," Vanguard replied.

"Capri-what?"

"The cloth around my legs. Climb down my armor and tear off pieces of it. Go!"

The plan was shoddy at best. Vanguard's caparison was a tattered mess and badly burned in several places. He hoped that Spike could find enough of it to patch Twilight up temporarily while he got her to whatever remained of the fort's medics. He also hoped that the very small dragon would not fall off or he might accidentally step on him while he continued to run.

They galloped through one hall and through several passages. On his back, Vanguard could feel Spike doing what he could with the pieces of cloth. Finally, they emerged through the back of the fortress. Still atop the hill, they saw a long line of ponies fleeing southward. To Bastion City, Vanguard guessed. Squads of pegasi flew above them. Even at a distance, Vanguard noticed that many of them were carrying wounded through stretchers.

"We made it!" the rainbow-maned pony exclaimed in relief.

"Not yet." Vanguard said. He turned towards the rainbow-maned pony, then pointed at the pegasi. "Think you can catch up with them?" he asked.

"Is that a challenge?" she replied. "Sure I can."

"Good. Tell them we have wounded and see if they have some spare wings to fly Twilight out of here."

The rainbow-maned pony looked a little irked by the orders, but she took a single glance at Twilight, who was draped over Vanguard with her eyes barely open, then nodded. In a blink, she was already soaring towards her target, leaving behind a prismatic streak. 'She's going to give Scarlet a run for his bits,' he thought. He focused on the rest of the ponies still with him. "Let's go."

* * *

><p>About half an hour had passed since Vanguard helped Twilight and her friends escape FangBreaker Fortress. He looked back and was only mildly surprised that the fortress was not on fire. Fenrir's army was planning on using it.<p>

The rainbow-maned pony had returned earlier with a pair of pegasi that he recognized from one of the long-range patrols. They put Twilight on a stretcher and flew her ahead. Spike had asked to come along to accompany Twilight.

With the fortress a good distance behind them and no pursuing wolven in sight, he had slowed to a trot instead of a hard gallop. The darkness made it difficult to see anything and the half moon did not help much. He followed the lit torches from the distant fleeing ponies and hoped that he didn't run into too many obstacles.

The ponies behind him looked exhausted and he was as well. His burns were hurting from all the exertion. He was about to drop, but they were coming closer to the main line of FangBreaker's retreating forces and he needed to protect these ponies. While he kept a calm exterior, he was fighting through each step.

"Excuse me, good sir," somepony said.

Vanguard looked back in time to see the white pony trotting towards him. "Yes?" he asked.

"Now that we're a good distance from the danger, perhaps we can introduce ourselves? We would dearly like to know a lot of things."

"My name is Captain Vanguard Clash of the Northern Equestrian Legion," he replied. "You are?"

The white pony looked at him blankly at first. He had expected that. "Northern Equestrian Legion" likely flew past her as surely as one of her pegasi friends. She recovered swiftly from her puzzlement, however. "My name is Rarity," she said. "Pleased to meet you, Captain Clash."

Vanguard raised an eyebrow. This pony had just found herself in a strange land and came under attack by strange creatures. Her friend had been badly injured and had to be flown off for treatment, but she spoke to him with an earnest formality. 'This must be a chosen noble,' he thought. The carefully combed curls on her mane reinforced his guess.

"The name's Applejack," the orange pony behind Rarity said. "Could you tell me where in the hay we are? It's bad enough that we've been banished, but banished to the middle of a giant scrap between ponies and…what did you call those monsters again? Wolven?"

"My sympathies for your banishment," Vanguard answered. Applejack's words just confirmed what he had been fearing since he saw Twilight Sparkle back at FangBreaker. "You're in the Barrier Lands, the realm outside the Equestria you know." He studied Applejack a little. Here was a direct contrast to Rarity, a pony who was a little rough at everything from appearance to manners.

The other ponies began to introduce themselves as well. The rainbow-maned pony was Rainbow Dash and the pink one with the mane like sugary froth was Pinkie Pie. After a little coaxing, the yellow pegasus introduced herself as Fluttershy. With the introductions out of the way, they resumed trotting in silence.

Several minutes passed when Fluttershy spoke up. Her voice was so weak, however, that Vanguard thought she was just talking to herself. It was only when she approached him and repeated what she was saying did he realize that she was talking to him.

"Those ponies lying on the ground…" she said. "They were just tired right? They got tired of fighting, and had to lie down?"

"They're dead," Vanguard answered. Fluttershy wilted on the spot. Her eyes focused on the ground while her lips quivered. It wasn't just Fluttershy either. His confirmation weighed down on each of them like a thick shroud. He softened his tone when he replied again, aware that his dog's growl of a voice served him poorly when dealing with ponies. He was a little thankful that Fluttershy had not seen what the wolven did to ponies after killing them. "We will mourn for them later, Fluttershy," he told her as gently as he could. "For now, let's be thankful that we're alive. Then, we make sure that they didn't die for nothing. When all of that is done, we mourn."

"But why were they fighting anyway?" Pinkie Pie asked. There was something in her voice that seemed incredibly subdued to Vanguard. He guessed that she was far more used to shouting with joy that talking like this.

"We fight to defend Equestria," Vanguard replied. "That fortress has been protecting Equestria's north for more than a thousand years."

"But we just lost it!" Pinkie said.

"There's been a betrayal," Vanguard growled. The thought of how it happened angered him. The blazing gates were a clear sign of the culprit. The other ponies quickly noticed his mood and backed away slightly. "Somepony will pay for this."

Vanguard looked on ahead, cutting off any more discussion among them. They had finally caught up with the rest of FangBreaker's forces. There would be time to talk later. For now, they had to rest up and take stock. He had a report to make to Commander Dreadstep, if the pony was still alive, then he would be off to the medics to have his burns treated and to see how Twilight Sparkle was doing.

After that was revenge.


	12. Recovery

**Upheaval: Breaking Point**

**Chapter 12: Recovery**

For those who survived the fall of FangBreaker Fortress, the long retreat towards Bastion City was the most draining and oppressive journey they had ever taken. The distance itself was not great, neither was the speed that they were traversing it as the wolven had not given chase. What sapped their strength was the weight of defeat that hung over them. It felt like a dark cloud that blotted out even the stars. Eventually, orders to stop for the night were passed. They had put a good enough distance between themselves and the fortress and they needed to rest before the long trek to Bastion City. Sentries were quickly posted while several ponies collapsed in sheer exhaustion. Even as the survivors set up camps, there were still pegasi flying from the fortress carrying wounded.

The surviving ponies were beginning to feel the effects of their sudden exertions. Everything had been a flurry of activity when they had been under attack. It started with the horde of wolven gathering in front of Fangbreaker. The tense vigil quickly turned into a confused and desperate battle to escape when a massive explosion shattered the innermost gates. When legionnaires came running to respond, all they saw was a thick bank of black smoke roiling from the courtyard towards the second gates. Another explosion followed, then two pairs of gates had been reduced to blazing wreckage. Everypony flung what they could at the smoke: spells, arrows…a few even charged in. Nothing had worked. Those who had run into the smoke never came out. When the outer gates collapsed into a burning ruin, the wolven charged in. What followed soon after was carnage that would haunt those who survived it for a long time.

It was only when the survivors had distanced themselves from the fortress did the implications of what had just happened begin to sink in. They had lost their fortress. Who knew how many of them died trying to hold it long enough for the others to retreat? With FangBreaker in their possession, the wolven had a foothold into Equestria itself. It could very well mean the slow splitting apart of the northern front at the seams. It wasn't just the present situation that weighed heavily on them. The Legion had defended FangBreaker for more than a thousand years. Generation after generation of their ancestors had proudly kept the wolven at bay through its walls and it was their generation that had failed. More than a few ponies were beginning to wonder if death in FangBreaker's defense was a better fate than facing the shame of losing it.

With all these things troubling the survivors, it was no surprise that nopony paid much heed to the group of ponies that had just joined them. If they had, it would have been a strange sight indeed. Among the legionnaires walked five chosen ponies led by a Special Operations captain who had just recently been reported dead.

* * *

><p>Once they moved past the sentries, Vanguard Clash looked behind him. Twilight Sparkle's friends were completely exhausted. Not just physically as well. The reality of their situation was beginning to catch up with them. "I'd advise you all to get some rest, but I doubt any of you will until you've seen how Twilight is doing," he told them. "So let's get to the medics first."<p>

They nodded. More out of necessity than anything else, Vanguard realized. They had just survived a battle against monsters that they had no idea existed. They were lost and surrounded by strangers in a land that was thousands of miles from anywhere they knew. He was the only pony around they could remotely trust.

They were holding up well, however. Perhaps concern for their injured friend managed to blot out their other worries. Vanguard was worried as well. He looked around to see where the medics had set up. All he had to look for was where the squads of pegasi were carrying their stretchers to. Sure enough, he found the makeshift ward close to the center of the camp.

When they got there, stared at a veritable sea of stretchers and makeshift beds. Moans and cries of pain mixed with orders being shouted as a small group of ponies in white coats moved from one injured pony to another. The air smelled strongly of blood, burned flesh, and brandy.

Vanguard listened closely to the orders being shouted out, then turned towards Twilight's friends. "Looks like Redbrand made it out alive," he said. "Try not to get underhoof or he'll kick you out of camp."

They searched the ward for Twilight while staying clear of the medics. Finally, they spotted her near the edge of the ward. Spike had also noticed them and was waving both claws in the air.

"About time you got here," Spike said as they came closer. "I was starting to think something bad happened to you on the way!"

"How's Twilight?" Vanguard asked.

"I'll be fine," was the weak reply. Twilight lay on a makeshift bed, which was barely more than a thin piece of canvas spread over the ground. Her shoulder had been tightly wrapped in bandages. Her friends quickly surrounded her.

"You sure you're alright?" Applejack asked

"I was so worried!" Pinkie added.

"I'm alright," Twilight replied. "I'm sorry I made you all worry."

"You're darn right you made us worry!" Applejack said. "Just what were you thinking jumping in front of those monsters, girl?"

"You gotta admit, it was pretty cool!" Rainbow Dash said.

"Cool and stupid," Applejack retorted. "You better not be thinking of trying it out, Rainbow!"

"She can't," Pinkie said. "She can't make things float!"

While Twilight reunited with her friends, Vanguard turned his attention to Spike. "How did things go when you got here?" he asked. "Did her cutie mark cause some trouble?"

"No," Spike said. "The doctor yelled at Twilight for getting hurt, though. When he found out who bandaged her, he yelled at me. Then he yelled at one of his assistants for using too much bandages when they replaced the ones I put."

"He only yelled at you?" Vanguard asked. "He's in a surprisingly good mood after all this."

Watching her friends brought a smile to Twilight's lips. She looked past her friends and looked directly at Vanguard while he stayed at the edge of the circle they formed. "Looks like I owe you my life again," she told him.

"Do you?" Vanguard asked. He approached Twilight, her friends parting to let him see her.

A little confused by the response, Twilight nodded and tried to muster a smile. "Yes," she said. Her eyes narrowed. "Are you alright?" she asked. "You look like you're about to collapse!"

"Then set my mind at ease so I can rest, Twilight Sparkle," Vanguard replied. "Why have you come back to this place?"

The smile disappeared from Twilight's face. She cast her gaze downwards.

"Come back to this place?" Applejack asked. "You mean you've been here before?" Applejack's question surprised Vanguard. So Twilight's friends didn't even know why she was banished? A small part of him considered their being banished with her as reckless, but, for the most part, he admired their loyalty. As strong as he perceived Twilight to be, he didn't think she would be able to endure the crushing loneliness of being banished to this land by herself.

"When I disappeared the last time, I ended up in this place," Twilight told Applejack. She faced Vanguard as she continued. "I broke Prince Terrato's memory lock spell. Once I remembered, I tried to talk to Princess Celestia about telling everypony the truth about the Barrier Lands." Her voice lowered. "She refused and asked me to go through another memory lock. When I refused…she banished me."

"Then we went along with her!" Rainbow Dash added. "There was no way we were letting Twilight be banished by herself!"

The answer all but knocked the breath from Vanguard. His legs finally gave way, forcing him to fall to his knees. "You idiot," he said softly. "Why would you do such a thing?" Concerned, Spike tried to support him as he fell, but the weight of a heavily barded pony was too much for the small dragon.

Twilight's eyes widened in surprise first, then in indignation. "What?" she asked. "It was the right thing to do! Isn't that why you gave me that emblem?"

"So that's where it came from." Spike muttered. He tried to undo some of the latches that kept the barding around Vanguard's head in place. The piece of black metal fell to the ground.

Vanguard's lips settled into a grim line. He could almost see himself reflect against Twilight's eyes. His gray coat and curly black mane would not be issues. His eyes were a different matter however. They were slit and so brightly red that they gave the impression of glowing in the dark. Twilight was also sure to notice the bandages wrapped around his head, a portion of his lower jaw, and his neck. "You're hurt," she said.

"I gave you that emblem so you, at least, would remember," Vanguard said. "That was all. Princess Celestia has had more than a thousand years to entrench herself in her position. Did you really think you could move her by talking?"

Twilight's scowl deepened. "It wasn't a matter of whether I could make her change her mind!" she said. "Somepony still had to say something. I thought that you'd appreciate that I still tried!"

"Your life has been ruined, Twilight Sparkle, and I'm to blame. I miss the part where I should be jumping with joy."

"Don't martyr yourself!" Twilight snapped. She refused to meet Vanguard's gaze. "I had plenty of chances to walk away, but I didn't. I'm here because I chose to be here."

With that, both of them became silent. After a few more awkward moments, Rarity cleared her throat to speak. "Well…" she said. "There's really nothing to be done about that. What's done is done. Perhaps we should start thinking about what's going to happen to us now?"

Vanguard gave Twilight one more look before turning his attention to her friends. "The Barrier Lands are your home now," he told them. "You might have noticed that it's under attack. I suggest that you help defend it."

They were quiet once more. As if on cue, they heard the long, dolorous howls of the wolven coming from the distant fortress, reminding them of things to be done.

"Has anyone seen Fluttershy?" Pinkie asked.

All of them looked around in alarm. Fluttershy was indeed gone.

* * *

><p>Seeing that Twilight Sparkle was fine brought a great deal of much needed relief to Fluttershy. Everything had been going so terribly today: being banished, watching her friend get hurt, seeing ponies…die. It was almost more than she could bear.<p>

"Coming through!" somepony called out.

Fluttershy edged closer to her friends as a pair of pegasi carrying a stretcher between them flew past her. Another pegasus was laying back first on the stretcher, moaning in agony while he raised a badly bent foreleg in the air. "Oh my," she said, already sharing the injured pony's distress. She flew over to take a closer look. "What happened to him?" she asked.

One of the pegasi who were carrying the stretcher looked at her inquisitively, likely trying to gauge who she was. "Wolven bolter clipped one of his wings, ma'am," he said. "He crashed just outside the fort. He's lucky we found him."

Moved by concern, Fluttershy flew over to the injured pony. His leg had been bent in an unnatural position and the bone had snapped. It would have to be properly set, then placed in splint, if he was ever going to use it again. She looked around her and spotted a roll of bandages that had fallen to the ground. Nopony seemed to notice it, just as nopony seemed to notice the newly-arrived patient. The ponies running the ward were clearly understaffed and swamped with work. If she didn't help this pony, he would probably have to wait for a while with his broken leg. "Do you have something we can use for a splint?" she asked the two pegasi.

"Uh…you can use this leather sheath," one of them offered. "I was going to have it replaced anyway. It's a bit worn." He unfastened a short blade from his harness, and unsheathed it, offering the sheath to Fluttershy.

The leather casing was just long and hard enough to be useful. Fluttershy went to work. "This is going to hurt a little, okay?" she told the injured pegasus soothingly. He nodded and grit his teeth as she set the bone in place. Once that was done, she put the splint in place and wrapped the leg carefully.

"We'll just set him over there," one of the pegasus carriers said. They flew the newly-bandaged pony over to the long line of laid out patients.

Pleased with her success, Fluttershy was about to rejoin her friends when she heard somepony shouting.

"You there! Pink-mane! Get over here!"

Fluttershy looked around to see who was yelling. One of the ponies working in the ward was looking straight at her and shouting. She pointed to herself and looked at him curiously, silently asking if he meant her.

"Yes, you!" the pony shouted. "Get your ridiculously flowery mane over here!"

Fluttershy flew over. The pony who had been calling her was a dark brown earth pony with a short very dark blue mane that he kept slick and brushed up so that it stuck to his neck and out of his face. He was standing next to another pegasus who was laid up on the ground. To Fluttershy's horror, a large piece of wood was sticking out of the pegasus's flank. Thick gouts of blood oozed from the wound. She tore her eyes away from the injury and faced the pony who had called for her. "Y-yes?" she asked.

"I'm going to pull that bolt out," the pony said. "You see that piece of metal I've been heating over there?" He pointed to a small fire nearby. One end of a long, rectangular bar of metal had been placed over it. "Take the heated end and cauterize the wound before he bleeds out."

"C-cauterize?" she asked.

"Yes, cauterize!" he snapped. "I'll need you to do it while I hold him down. This idiot's a real bucker. He'll go nuts once he feels his flank is on fire. Take the brand and burn the wound shut before he fountains his life before you! Are you ready?" He put a hoof over the bolt and looked at her.

"N-no…" Fluttershy squeaked as tried to slowly back out.

"That brand's going to stick to his flank or it's going up yours, filly," the pony snarled. "He's going to die while you stutter so move it!"

Fluttershy nearly bolted at the threat. Blinking away tears, she went over to the brand and picked up the cold end with her mouth. Then, she walked over towards the injured pony while the brown pony held him down. As soon as she approached, the brown pony grabbed hold of the bolt and pulled it out. Blood spurted from the wound and the injured pony grunted in pain. Fluttershy's stomach violently protested. The brand wobbled in her mouth while she desperately tried to keep it together.

"Do it!"

Fluttershy suppressed the urge to close her eyes and stuck the white-hot end to the wound. The blood around the injury started to sizzle. The prone pegasus struggled violently while the brown pony held him down.

"Keep it in there until you smell him roasting, pink-mane!" the brown pony shouted.

As soon as awful stench of burned flesh hit Fluttershy's nostrils, she let the brand go. The piece of metal fell to the ground with a clatter.

The brown pony let go of the pegasus to pick the brand up. "Don't waste a heated brand, pink-mane," he said "We might have more cauterizing to do. Bandages are almost gone."

"I'm gonna get you for lighting my flank on fire, filly," the wounded pegasus said.

The brown pony smacked the pegasus's head with a hoof. "Shut the hay up, Updraft!" he snapped. "You wouldn't be here if you weren't parading your giant flank for the wolven to shoot at!"

"Can I at least get a mouthful from that flask you've got there?" Updraft asked weakly.

"You just threatened one of my assistants, feather-head, I wouldn't give you my piss in a cup."

Still grumbling, the pegasus settled down. The brown pony turned his attention towards Fluttershy. "Name's Redbrand," he said. "I lead FangBreaker's medical staff. Or what's left of it anyway. Who in the hay are you?"

"M-my name is Fluttershy…"

"Speak up, you wallflower! I can't hear you over all the moaning!"

"It's Fluttershy!".

"Take this kit then, Fluttershy." Redbrand said as he handed a small suitcase to her. "We've got a long night ahead of us."

* * *

><p>As the night went on, the medical ward eventually settled down. The squads of pegasi stopped flying in, and the injured stopped moaning and settled down to sleep.<p>

Amidst the injured, two ponies were laid up next to each other. With her bound up shoulder, Twilight Sparkle stared up the sky, studying the stars that she had just realized were the same as the ones in the Heartland. Spike was nestled against her, dozing away. A foot away from her was Vanguard Clash. His armor had been removed, revealing the extent of his injuries. His entire torso was wrapped in bandages. Twilight wondered how he even managed to stay standing for so long. One of the medics had removed the bandages to see what had happened, giving her a view of burned patches all along one side of his coat.

"So what happened to you?" Twilight asked. She avoided looking at Vanguard as she did so. She was still a little cross at him for calling her an idiot.

"Pyre and I got into a little disagreement about me giving you my emblem," Vanguard replied. "The burns came with her witty rebuttal."

Shocked, Twilight looked at Vanguard to see if he was just joking. He wasn't. The image of an angry Pyre Valor hurling a fireball came to her mind. Would even the combative unicorn attack her own captain? "It's my fault then," she said. "I'm sorry."

"Don't martyr yourself."

The two of them fell silent for some time. Twilight looked past the medical ward and saw her friends huddled together at a distance. They had found Fluttershy after some searching and, when they saw her helping out in the ward, they decided to leave her be. Especially since the pony in charge was constantly yelling and looked like he would kick their faces off if they bothered anypony who was working in the ward.

"Twilight," Vanguard said.

"What is it?" she asked.

"I'm sorry that you and your friends have been banished and that your return here is just in time to see the start of the worst crisis the Northern Legion's faced for hundreds of years."

"I've already told you, that's-!"

"But I am glad to see you again."

Twilight hid a smile and settled for stargazing once more. "Let's just get some sleep," she said. She realized that the night would be over soon and tomorrow would mark her first day as part of the Barrier Lands.


	13. The Next Step

**Upheaval: Breaking Point**

**Chapter 13: The Next Step**

The first rays of dawn found Fangbreaker's survivors on the move. The dark clouds, which had all but cleared up yesterday, had begun to gather once more. The chill many of them felt wasn't just the cold, heavy feeling among them as well. The Northern Barrier Land's short summer was already over. Icy winds were beginning to blow southward from Wolvengard. They needed to get to Bastion City before Fenrir's fangs fell upon them.

Despite his injuries, Vanguard was up with the dawn. Those in the ward who were strong enough to get moving were already doing so, lest Chief Medical Officer Redbrand catch them wasting time. Twilight Sparkle and Spike, however, were still dozing near him. He moved away quietly to let Twilight get a few more minutes of sleep. She had been through a lot in a short amount of time.

Vanguard looked around to see how Twilight's friends were doing. He found them still asleep together just outside the ward. Most of them anyway. Applejack, Rarity, and Pinkie Pie had huddled together for warmth and security. Two of Twilight's friends were missing. He looked around the ward and found Fluttershy asleep along with four of Redbrand's medics. Redbrand himself was sitting nearby, watching them morosely with an open flask in his hoof. Vanguard couldn't blame the stallion for still being grouchy. Redbrand was staring at his entire medical staff at the moment and one of them was just a volunteer.

One of Twilight's friends was still unaccounted for. As Vanguard inspected his gear, he realized that something else was unaccounted for. It didn't take a lot of thinking to conclude that he was going to find the two together. Sure enough, he found Rainbow Dash up in the air nearby with his still-sheathed two-bladed sword clamped between her jaws. She flitted about, swiping away at imaginary foes even as he approached her. It was a miracle that nopony had spotted her so far. "Out here, it's impolite to take someone's weapon without permission," he called out to her.

Surprised, Rainbow Dash nearly dropped the two-bladed sword. She whirled at the sound of Vanguard's voice, then descended in front of him with a sheepish expression look. She placed the weapon in front of Vanguard and backed away. "Oh, sorry," she said with a grin. "I just wanted to try it out. You looked pretty cool with it while you were saving Twilight last night. It's really heavy, though! Don't you find it hard to fight with it?"

"It gets easier with practice," Vanguard said. "Strong jaws also run in my family." He studied Rainbow Dash for a moment. Her strange coloring still left him a little unsettled. She had a small, lean build, but she made up for it with sheer energy. He still remembered her quick flight from last night. "Does fighting interest you, Rainbow Dash?" he asked.

"Yeah," Rainbow answered. "If I wasn't going to join the Wonderbolts, I was thinking of joining the Royal Guard! Although, I've never seen the Royal Guard actually fight…why'd you ask?"

"The Legion's always recruiting," Vanguard said. "Especially now, given our losses."

A look of confusion spread across Rainbow's face. "You mean I actually have to sign up?" she asked. "I thought that, since we're going to be living here from now on, we're already a part of the army!"

Vanguard raised an eyebrow. "We do have a civilian sector," he said. "Somepony still has to plant crops, mine ore, and do various other jobs."

"Well, I'm not the planting or mining type!"

"What was your job in the Heartland then?"

"I was a weather pegasus!" Rainbow Dash puffed her chest up. "And the best one at that! I could clear the sky in ten seconds flat!"

Vanguard stared blankly at Rainbow Dash. "Weather pegasus?" he asked. "Clear the skies of what? Birds? I suppose that would be useful around statuary."

"Clouds, silly!" Rainbow retorted. "Speaking of clouds, somepony should tell your weather pegasi to lay off the cold winds and overcast skies. I don't think it's good for retreating across this plain."

"We don't have weather pegasi," Vanguard said. "You mean to tell me that the weather in the Heartland is…managed by ponies?"

It was Rainbow's turn to come to realization. "Oh no…don't tell me this is like the Everfree Forest! Clouds moving by themselves…that is so creepy."

"The weather takes care of itself," Vanguard said. "No job opening for weather pegasi here, I'm afraid. I'm sure Reconnaissance could use you though."

"Sign me up then, sir!" Rainbow answered with a salute.

"Why don't we see what your friends have planned first?" Vanguard asked with a smile. He glanced back at the sleeping medics. "Although, it looks like Redbrand's already recruited Fluttershy into Medical."

"Fluttershy taking care of the injured," Rainbow remarked. "Nothing new there."

"Was she a medic in the Heartland too?"

"Kinda. She mostly took care of small animals though."

"Well, Redbrand can work with that. What about your other friends?"

"Why do you keep saying 'my' friends? They're also your friends now!"

Vanguard paused. "Is that so?" he asked. Rainbow Dash looked at him as if he couldn't see past his own nose.

"Of course! You saved Twilight, and you've been helping us ever since we got here. You can ask them yourself what they used to do."

"Alright then. Let's go see to our friends, shall we?" He picked up his weapon and motioned for Rainbow Dash to follow him.

* * *

><p>Fluttershy rubbed her eyes and sat up with a yawn. She looked at her surroundings with bleary eyes, still half-hoping that she just had a horrible dream and that she was back on her bed in Ponyville. She continued to hope for that, even though the ground felt very hard and cold beneath her.<p>

"You slept like a log there," somepony nearby said. "Is that how all chosen sleep?"

Fluttershy rubbed her eyes again, then brushed aside some of her mane. To her dismay, she was still out in the middle of a plain, surrounded by strange ponies. She turned towards the pony who had just spoken. It was the angry doctor from last night. "Um…chosen?" she asked.

Redbrand pointed straight at her flank. "I thought you had some bugs biting your flank," he said. "Tried to shoo them off, but they wouldn't budge."

"Oh, you mean my cutie mark," Fluttershy replied. "Why would you-?" Her gaze focused on Redbrand's unmarked flank. "Oh dear, you don't have one? Does that mean you don't know your special skill?"

"I'm really good at patching ponies up, filly," Redbrand answered. "I've a got plenty of them who can grudgingly vouch for that. I don't need a foal's drawing on my hindquarters to prove it."

"I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean anything by that. It's just that, ponies get their cutie marks once they grow up."

"Maybe that's true where you're from." Redbrand softened his tone as he continued. "Look, I don't give a damn about why a chosen is out here. I don't have the time or patience to listen to that harangue going around that a lot of foals get so worked up about. All I know is that I have half my unit to replace and getting you is better than getting half a dozen recruits who'd amputate their own legs the minute you turned your back."

Fluttershy remained silent. She wasn't quite sure what Redbrand was trying to tell her.

"Are you listening to me, filly?" Redbrand asked. "I'm trying to recruit you into the Legion! As soon as you sign up, tell your recruiting officer to send your bug-marked flank over to Medical and that I will saw his muzzle off if he sends you to Reconnaissance. Is that understood?"

Fluttershy nodded. This Redbrand was such a strange pony. He yelled almost all the time, he was mean to his assistants, and he kept talking so coarse. Still, she still felt that he was a good pony. It just didn't make sense. She remembered seeing him still working feverishly long after he ordered her to take a rest. While the doctor was harsh with the ponies he worked with, he spared himself least of all.

"So what are you waiting for?" Redbrand asked. "Get to Logistics! Talk to some of your friends while you're at it!"

Fluttershy backed away slowly, keeping her attention on Redbrand in case he had something else to yell about. Then, she turned around and headed for her friends.

* * *

><p>Everypony had woken up by the time Vanguard and Rainbow Dash got back to their friends. As soon as they got there, Vanguard began to put on his barding.<p>

"Everypony is on the move already," Twilight told Vanguard. "You should have woken me up!"

"You needed the rest," Vanguard replied as he adjusted his champron. He turned towards Spike, who stood next to Twilight. "Don't you think she needed some more rest, Spike?"

Spike nodded. "You've only known him for one night, and you're already taking his side?" Twilight asked him.

"What can I say, Twilight?" Spike replied. "He's a really reasonable pony."

"Perhaps," Rarity said. Her carefully coiffed mane was sagging under stress and lack of care. "But there's nothing reasonable about this place or the weather. I mean just look at what it's done to my mane already! Surely we are heading somewhere warmer, safer, and more civilized!"

"Your mane's hardly our biggest concern," Applejack said. She shot an annoyed look at Rarity. "I'm more worried about those nasty, wolven-varmints catching up to us! What should we be doing by now?"

"We're heading for Bastion City," Vanguard answered. "It's about a two day trek at our pace. They've already sent some pegasi ahead so the city knows we're coming. Expect a long walk. You should take the time to think about what you're going to do about your exile."

Everypony started walking along with the rest of the survivors. They lowered their heads at Vanguard's mention of exile. They had been avoiding that truth since they came to this place. Having to deal with it gave them a cold feeling inside. They spent the next several moments in silence.

"I'm here!" Fluttershy said as she walked over to join them. "Did I miss anything?"

"Not much," Applejack replied. "We were just thinking about what we were going to do next."

"This…Bastion City, is it?" Rarity asked. "It's an actual city, correct? As in with buildings, shops, and ponies?"

"Yes, Miss Rarity, that is what the word 'city' implies," Vanguard answered. "It's reasonable to expect it to be rougher than what you're used to in the Heartland, but you can ply your trades there. Except for Rainbow Dash here, and that's given that your former jobs don't include things like making sure the water is wet or painting the leaves green."

"Well, that's a start," Rarity said. "I don't know how I'll begin, though. I don't have any money with me and I don't have any materials."

"This also doesn't look like a good time to be planting apples," Applejack said. "Even if I did have any seeds and a land to plant them in."

"I'm joining the Legion," Twilight said. All eyes shifted toward her.

"Are you serious?" Spike asked. The rest of Twilight's friends mirrored Spike's incredulity.

"I am," Twilight replied.

"This isn't something you decide just like that," Vanguard said. "Take some time to think about it."

"I have. 'Prince Terrato and the Legion stand strong in the Barrier Lands, but they will stand stronger with us.' That is what I said to Princess Celestia. I stand by those words."

"Well that's it," Spike said. "Sign me up too."

"There are other ways to support the Legion," Vanguard said.

"And joining it is as good as any of them," Twilight answered.

"I'm signing up too!" Rainbow Dash added. "It sounds like the job for me!"

"Um…"

Everypony looked at Fluttershy.

"Fluttershy!" Rarity exclaimed. "Don't tell me you're going to join the Legion too!"

Fluttershy nodded. "Doctor Redbrand says that I'd do a lot of good in Medical. Well, at least, I think that's what he said. There are so many ponies getting hurt here that I think that I should help out as much as I can."

"Sign me up as well," Applejack said. "I can put up a fight and show those wolven-varmints a thing or two! Why, by the time I'm done, they'll be scootin off to wherever they came from with their tails between their legs!"

"Has everypony gone crazy?" Rarity asked. She turned towards Pinkie Pie, the last pony anypony expected to turn to for some sense. "And what about you, Pinkie?"

Pinkie was already grinning when she answered. "I'm going where my friends are!" she answered. She looked at Vanguard. "Can my barding come with streamers, huh? And pink! It's gotta be pink! Not that black isn't pretty. I mean you look pretty good in your barding."

Everypony turned their attention to Rarity, who looked taken aback at the turn of events. "I suppose I'm joining as well," she finally said. "I mean Twilight already asked me about it in Pinkie's last party."

"Well, there's going to be drafts anyway," Vanguard said. "I just hope that you're joining up because you find our cause to be worthy of a lifetime of service and a violent death." He looked at Twilight. "Not just out of some misplaced sense of guilt or pity."

"We're going to fight for Equestria and keep it safe from invaders," Twilight replied. "What cause would be more worthy of a lifetime?" Her friends nodded at that.

"Alright," Vanguard said. He let himself show a ghost of a smile as he continued. "There's plenty to do for now. I have to make a report to Commander Dreadstep, or whoever is currently leading. I'd better present all of you to him as well. Our prince might like to see all of you, if he isn't too busy rearranging the entire Legion to cope with this attack."

"Did he just say prince?" Rarity whispered to Twilight.

"He's Princess Celestia's brother," Twilight replied. "I doubt you'll have a chance with him."

Rarity looked downcast for a few seconds before walking on.

"Then it's off to Logistics for all of you," Vanguard continued. "The process-!"

"Captaaaaaaain!"

Immediately after the distant shout, a streak of red crashed into Vanguard, knocking him down. Twilight and the others looked to see what was attacking him, only to find a red-coated pegasus pinning him in a tight hug.

"I knew you weren't dead!" Scarlet Rabbit exclaimed. "There was just no way you'd die from a random encounter. Pyre and Blademane were just too lazy to search for you!"

"Scarlet, you're making a scene," Vanguard told the pegasus firmly. He pried Scarlet off and stood up only to notice that several passing ponies were looking at them now. To his dismay, they quickly shifted their attention towards the flanks of the ponies near him. 'This better not be trouble,' he thought. Fortunately for him, the legionnaires were disciplined enough to keep walking. Whatever they felt for chosen, it would not be shown today. "Scarlet, where is Pyre Valor?" he asked.

"I dunno." Scarlet replied. "Haven't see her or Blademane after the attack." His voice lowered. "I think they're dead."

Vanguard remembered Pyre Valor's words during their last meeting. If she had succeeded in giving FangBreaker to the wolven, then she would have died fighting just as she said. Blademane would have refused to leave her side.

"You should see Sharpfangs, Captain," Scarlet said. "He was dead set on making a last stand in the kitchen because he thought you were dead. Flight Captain Tailwind had to drag him out of there. You should have seen him kicking and cursing while they flew all the way to camp!"

"Not surprising," Vanguard said. "She just lost her son at that time. There was no way she was going to lose her husband."

"Oh, but before that, Commander Dreadstep's already heard about you coming back. He's passed the word for you to meet him."

"Right," Vanguard said. "I may as well bring you to him," he told Twilight and the others.

"Hold on!" Scarlet said. He flew slowly towards Rainbow Dash and gave her a long, hard look. The cheery expression disappeared from his face.

"What is it?" Rainbow asked. She flew back a little when Scarlet's face moved just a few inches from hers.

"Who are you? And why are you made of rainbows?" Scarlet asked in return.

"What the-?" Rainbow spluttered. "I'm not made of rainbows!"

"Oh?" The serious expression disappeared. "Did you fall into a tub of mixing dye? Wait! Don't tell me you were hit by one of those weird poisons that the ophidites are always cooking up!"

"No and no!" Rainbow answered. "This is my natural mane color!"

"You're a natural rainbow-head huh?" Scarlet said. "So, what's your name?"

"It's Rainbow Dash."

"Oh, now you're just making fun of me!"

"That's enough you two," Vanguard said. Both he and Applejack stepped in and pulled their respective pony away.

"Save the introductions for later, Scarlet," Vanguard said. "Take us to Dreadstep."

Scarlet Rabbit grinned. "Right this way, Captain!" he said. He flew ahead while Vanguard and his new-found friends trotted behind him.

Several minutes passed until Vanguard and the others were walking with Commander Dreadstep. Vanguard explained his story, choosing to omit what the old wolven had told him.

Commander Dreadstep's expression darkened when he mentioned Pyre Valor's betrayal. "This situation with the chosen is getting out of hoof," he said. "So Cold Hoof wasn't alone after all. Now, his conspiracy has succeeded with the help of the ponies involved in stopping him. I am almost too ashamed to tell our prince about this."

"Was the prince in the fortress when the attack began, sir?" Vanguard asked.

"No," Dreadstep answered. "He never came back when he took off after he sent Twilight Sparkle home."

"You mean he didn't help when the wolven attacked?" Twilight asked.

Dreadstep fixed his gaze on Twilight Sparkle sternly until she blanched. "Our prince honors the pact he made with Fenrir, Arugek and Sesyth. With that pact, all of them promised to never be directly involved in the battles of their armies. If Prince Terrato had joined the battle, King Fenrir would have charged into the fray. What happened to FangBreaker is a true tragedy, but trust me when I say that casualties would have easily tripled if our leaders involved themselves."

Dreadstep shifted his gaze from Twilight to the rest of her friends. "I'm not sure if I should be glad or worried that there are now chosen willing to join the Legion," he said. "But things will not be so straightforward. FangBreaker's fall is the result of a betrayal rooted in the grudge some of our legionnaires feel towards Princess Celestia's decision to partition Equestria. The saboteurs responsible are likely still out there mingling with the rest of the Legion. If I have you chosen join up now, you may well be assassinated before we even reach Bastion City."

Rarity swallowed at the mention of being assassinated. Applejack glanced suspiciously behind her.

"Then, there's the matter of Twilight Sparkle," Dreadstep said.

"Me, sir?" Twilight asked.

"You may have been exiled, but you're still Princess Celestia's protégé. If I put you in danger and you're harmed or killed, she could ask her brother for my head on a platter."

"Princess Celestia would never do such a thing!" Twilight said.

"You'll pardon me if I err on the side of safety. My head and neck happen to enjoy each other's company. We will delay all of your recruitments until we can root out the worst these insurgents. We also have to consult with the prince before we let you join, Twilight Sparkle. For now, you chosen should stay together. Captain Vanguard, I'm assigning you and Scarlet Rabbit to protect them."

"Understood, sir," Vanguard said with a salute.

Twilight let out a sigh as soon as Commander Dreadstep had walked ahead. "Here I am trying to fight side-by-side, and I'm getting special treatment," she muttered.

Vanguard didn't answer right away. When Twilight looked at him, she noticed the smile moving the corners of his lips. "What's so funny?" she asked.

"I was just thinking about the things you've been saying," Vanguard answered. "If you had been born in the Barrier Lands, you'd be a high-ranking officer by now and I'd be taking orders from you." He looked at Twilight, appraising how she'd react. "Either that, or you'd be dead after your first battle."

"What does that even mean?" Twilight asked.

"No need to rush," Vanguard said. "We've got a long walk ahead of us. You can think on the way."


	14. Ends and Means

**Upheaval: Breaking Point**

**Chapter 14: Ends and Means**

The wolven were still feasting when morning found them in FangBreaker Fortress. Some of them were picking away at the remains of the slain ponies. A few were snoring languidly, their bloodlust temporarily sated by the carnage of the previous battle. The main courtyard of the once-hated fortress was covered with gnawed bones and burned out bonfires. They had smeared the walls with triumphant boasting in their own language, using pony blood as a crude paint.

Not every wolven was complacent in victory. Small packs of warriors patrolled the walls and sentries were placed along the entrances. Squads of wolven stalked the halls of the fortress, hunting for ponies who had hidden themselves. Some of the berserkers, still in the throes of their battle rage, were attacking each other. The white-furred brachyurii, the biggest and strongest of their kin, were content to sit by and watch in amusement.

Hasrok watched all of this from the ruined, still smoking remains of the innermost gate, where some wolven were crudely putting together a barricade. His pack was among the first to charge in when the gates fell apart. He himself killed four of the accursed thunder-foots. Their tails now adorned his belt as newly-taken trophies. Despite its role in the battle, it had fallen to his pack to begin repairs on the fortress while his bigger, stronger kin wallowed in celebration. The wolven army may despise FangBreaker Fortress and everything it stood for, but they certainly were not going to waste it.

"Do you still doubt my visions now, Hasrok?" Regiskra sneered as she walked past him. "FangBreaker is ours thanks to Moon-Shadow's return, as I have predicted."

"You rely on dreams and the thunder-foots," Hasrok snarled. "Cursed Equestria will fall by wolven fang and claw, not through that…that thing on top of the fort!" He looked at the figure watching them from above. Right now, the strangest sight in FangBreaker Fortress was one of the hated thunder-foots.

At least, Hasrok believed that it was a thunder-foot. It was difficult to tell. The thing was surrounded by a thick bank of black smoke. At the center of the haze was the vague figure of a thunder-foot, ablaze with flames so black that they stood out against the cloud. A pair of red eyes stared out of the figure in a fiery glare that no wolven met without quailing. None of them dared to approach the thing even though they knew that it was responsible for bringing about the downfall of the fortress that had stymied their assaults for centuries.

The wolven knew Moon-Shadow only as their king's enigmatic ally. The few who had an interest in lore also knew that Moon-Shadow had been trapped in the moon by cursed Celestia for a thousand years. Her return heralded what they believed to be their greatest attack upon Equestria, the turning point of a war that had lasted for centuries.

Not even the most knowledgeable wolven lore-keeper, however, could explain the presence of the brown-coated thunder-foot who stood just outside the smoking presence of Moon-Shadow. When the gates were blasted open, he was standing by Moon-Shadow's side, completely uncaring while the wolven swarmed around him and attacked his fellow thunder-foots. The wolven who lunged at him were enveloped in smoke which left nothing of them but ash. Since that incident, it was decided that the brown thunder-foot must be Moon-Shadow's personal slave. He was left alone since then. After all, they had a fortress to prepare. King Fenrir himself was coming to see his army's handiwork.

* * *

><p>From her perch, Pyre Valor watched the wolven in growing disgust as they continued to defile FangBreaker Fortress with their "decorations". Her disgust quickly fed her rage and that rage caused the blackened flames that now bathed her body to burn even fiercer. She wanted to dive down upon those filthy wolven and incinerate every last one of them, then burn away everything that they dared to smear on the walls.<p>

**_"My, my, bloodthirsty are we?"_**

'I would rather drink pony piss than have anything to do with wolven blood,' Pyre told her mental passenger. She knew, however, that Nightmare Moon was doing much more than just hitching a ride inside her. This was not what she had originally planned. She was supposed to be dead by now, slain as a defender of FangBreaker Fortress as payment for what she had to ask of the Legion. Instead, she had all but allied herself with Wolvengard, merging with one of its strongest allies. Everything was coming to pass as Vanguard predicted. With a foothold into Equestria, the wolven could very well spread all across the northern front. Ponies will die by the hundreds-no, by the thousands. Still, she had welcomed the gamble as surely as she had welcomed Nightmare Moon within her. Despite the deaths and the coming desperate battles, the Equestrian Legion would overcome this. As they do so, Celestia and the Heartland would have to hear her.

Nevertheless, it seemed that the only thing she could count on was Blademane's constant loyalty. She wondered what he was thinking at the moment, standing next to a cloud of smoke and the monster that she had become. She had to admit that she was surprised that he was willing to go this far for her.

**_"I'm a little surprised myself, Pyre Valor. I knew you were strong, but even I didn't expect this much power from our unity. Look at what we've accomplished. All while I mask my presence from that wretch, Terrato."_**

'Is that supposed to be a compliment? We are not friends, Nightmare Moon. We're using each other and nothing more.'

**_"That's no reason for me to not speak the truth. Princess Luna possesses far more magical power than you, but her hesitation and love for her family outweighed the strength of her envy. I could barely access a fraction of her magic. My weak unity with her let us fall victim to Celestia's Elements of Harmony. But you, your rage and determination are a beauty to behold. Our unity will be the stuff of legend for pony and wolven alike!"_**

'Rage and determination, is it?' Pyre Valor thought. She remembered Vanguard's smoking body where she left it on the plain for the wolven to find. She had hesitated with that fireball. The spell barely damaged his armor and likely let him live. She didn't even have the guts to finish him off even though she knew that he was going to do everything to stop her. Instead, she turned her back and hoped that the wolven would do the job for her. So much for rage and determination.

**_"Undermine yourself if you must. You still struck him down. You have cast aside even foalhood friendship for this. Now that Vanguard Clash is dead, there is nopony holding you back."_**

'I will not hear that name from you, Nightmare Moon!' Pyre thought.

**_"Touching. You're trying to show some semblance of respect for a fallen friend. But why bother? You trusted him and he spat on your face. He cast aside your friendship first. He chose to put his life on the line for some worthless chosen that he met for a day, instead of for the cause you so strongly believe in."_**

'That chosen,' Pyre thought. She tried to remember the purple unicorn's name. What was it again? Night Sparkle? It didn't matter. The purple unicorn was merely a symbol for everything Pyre despised about the chosen. She remembered their attack on that wolven camp and the chosen's hesitation to kill a wolven attacker. Even though she was faced with an enemy that was going to tear her entrails out, Night Sparkle cringed like a witless foal. That was all chosen were: weak, spoiled foals of Celestia. They didn't deserve protection, they deserved to be pushed into the front lines. Let the cowards and the weak be destroyed lest they pass both traits on through blood.

**_"Is that a touch of bigotry? You're a pony after my own heart, Pyre Valor."_**

'Enough of this meaningless conversation! We have a war to fail!'

**_"We'll get to that soon enough. Enjoy the last gasps of the Legion. You'll have an eternity of remembering its downfall and your part in it afterwards."_**

* * *

><p>Throughout its long history, few things have ever caused uproar within the Royal Palace. As the home of Equestria's rulers, it has served as a symbol of harmony for generations of Equestria's inhabitants.<p>

It took but a single announcement from Princess Celestia to cause yet another one. The normally peaceful palace turned into a bustling hub of activity when it was announced that Twilight Sparkle and her friends had been banished to an undisclosed location for committing an unspeakable crime. To make the matter stranger, it wasn't even Princess Celestia who made the announcement, but an appointed pony. Nopony had seen the princess leave her room since Twilight Sparkle had arrived asking for a private audience. The Royal Guard was swamped with an influx of inquiries by concerned and curious ponies. Only hours later, ponies asking for an audience started to pour in. The palace became crowded with petitioners while the guards struggled to maintain a sense of order.

Amidst the confused crowd, Princess Luna strode through the halls of the Royal Palace with purpose. She cut through the royal guards so swiftly that many of them failed to bow respectfully. She barely noticed them. All her thoughts were focused on finding her sister.

Princess Celestia's room lay at the top of the Royal Palace's highest tower where she could enjoy a magnificent view of her realm. Outside her door, a pair of royal guards stood watch. When they saw Luna approaching, one of them ventured to come forward and speak.

"Your highness, Princess Celestia has asked that-!"

"Move aside," Luna said. A look from her was enough for the guards comply with respectful bows. The doors were locked and reinforced with magic. Luna's horn flashed dark blue as she smashed them aside. She strode in once the doors flew open. After a moment, they slammed shut behind her. "Big sister-!"

Even Luna was taken aback at the sight before her. Celestia lay on her bed, eyes empty while she stared ahead. Her mane was still and limp around her. Her crown had fallen off and lay forlornly on the floor.

"Leave me," Celestia said.

"Not until I get some answers," Luna replied.

The atmosphere within the room grew heavy and ominous. Celestia's gaze focused on Luna. For a moment, she considered backing off until her sister's mood lightened. Celestia wasn't angry. Not yet. This was merely a warning, a prelude to something that even she had only seen once. Then, she remembered why she was here in the first place. She matched Celestia's gaze with her own. "Why have you done this, big sister?" she asked. "Twilight Sparkle is your student. She and her friends bear the Elements of Harmony!"

"They left me no choice," Celestia answered. "I didn't want this!"

"You do have a choice! End this division, big sister. Bring them back from the Barrier Lands before it's too late!"

"I will do no such thing!" Celestia raised her voice slightly. "Without the Heartland, all of ponykind will collapse upon itself. You agreed to this, Luna. Both you and Terrato understood that this had to be done."

"I agreed because big brother agreed and he agreed because he'll agree to anything you say. I cannot stay silent anymore, big sister. Things have gone too far. Even your student believes that this division is wrong, isn't that why she refused to submit to another memory lock?"

The pained look on Celestia's face quickly reminded Luna of how unwelcome the subject was. Still, she couldn't afford to relent. There was a lot of pain in the future, especially if circumstances were allowed to continue as they were.

"Twilight Sparkle said the things she said because she hasn't seen what I have," Celestia replied. "When she sees for herself what the Legion is subjected to, she will come to realize that what I have done is necessary." A glimmer of hope flickered within her eyes. "When that time comes, I will ask her and her friends to come back. I know that they will all agree."

"Don't be-!" Before Luna could finish, arcs of magical energy filled the room. There was no mistaking their brother's spell.

Sure enough, Terrato's image materialized in the middle of the room.

"This is not a good time, Terrato," Celestia said.

"Good," Terrato retorted. "I'd hate to ruin a good time. It looks like your mood is appropriately sour."

"Has something happened, big brother?" Luna asked.

"The wolven have just captured FangBreaker Fortress," Terrato replied. Though he acknowledged the question, his focus was entirely on Celestia. "If something isn't done soon, they will make their way to Bastion City. From there, they will spread across the northern front."

Celestia's eyes widened in horror. "Twilight Sparkle!" she blurted out. "Is she safe, Terrato?"

A look of confusion spread across Terrato's face. "Those ponies you sent over the barrier," he asked. "Twilight Sparkle was one of them and you sent them to FangBreaker?"

"Is she safe, Terrato?" Celestia asked again, more urgently this time. "Are they all safe? I sent six ponies to FangBreaker Fortress!"

"I'll have to check," Terrato said. "_Hundreds_ of legionnaires just died, Celestia, I'll sort through them to see if your six survived or not."

Celestia didn't seem to hear Terrato. Her breathing quickened in her panic as the situation continued to dawn upon her. "I…I just sent them to their deaths," she whispered. Her voice rose to a wail. "Why did they have to choose this fate?"

"We don't know that yet," Terrato said. "We must discuss other things. I've sent reinforcements to help with the northern crisis, but FangBreaker's sudden fall was not part of the plan. It may be too late at this rate."

When Celestia didn't respond, Luna decided to step in. "What must be done, big brother?" she asked.

"Let my legionnaires pass through the Heartland so they can arrive quicker," Terrato replied. He continued to act as if it was Celestia who was talking. Luna turned towards their sister, who appeared to wither and age on the spot.

"And what will you have me say to my ponies when they see your army moving among them?" Celestia asked.

"Tell them it's Equestria's first 'Stay at Home and Close Your Eyes Day'!" Terrato snapped. "I don't care! The north is in danger, Celestia! If we don't act now, it will take decades to root the wolven out!"

Luna turned towards her elder sister. "Big sister, please," she said. "We have to do something!"

Under the weight of her siblings' stares, Celestia appeared to diminish. Her hooves shook as she remained silent for a minute. "Has everything conspired to ruin what I've tried to protect?" she whispered. Both Terrato and Luna remained quiet as they listened. Celestia turned her gaze on Terrato, her eyes defiant. "No. More than ever, with the sacrifices I have had to make to protect Equestria, I cannot let this war taint all ponykind. The Heartland will remain unsullied by the presence of war, whether from your legionnaires or the wolven. The north will stand strong no matter the crisis. You are my defender, Terrato, I believe in your ability to do all of this without sacrificing what the Heartland stands for."

Under Celestia's stare, Terrato's face twisted. Luna could tell that he had more to say, but he didn't have the words to say them with. She looked pleadingly at him. 'Send your ponies through,' she told him wordlessly. 'You can end this, big brother. For the north's sake, for all of Equestria's sake, this division must end.'

Finally, Terrato did speak. "I am your defender." Luna could only look away in disappointment. "I will stop anything that will harm what you cherish, dearest sister, but you have dictated this cost."

Terrato's image dematerialized, leaving Luna alone with her sister.

"You have your answers, Luna," Celestia said. "Now, leave me."

"I will go then," Luna said. "There is nothing more to be done here." She turned around and headed for the doors.

Celestia spoke out just as Luna was about to open the doors. "Where are you going?" she asked.

"To the Barrier Lands," Luna said. "Our brother needs help. Since you won't raise a hoof to help him, I will go instead." Even as she spoke those words, Luna was unsure of what exactly she could do. Throughout his conversation with their sister, Terrato didn't as much as look at her. He called Celestia his "dearest sister", as he always did, and what those words implied was not lost on her.

"The Barrier Lands are no place for a princess of Equestria!" Celestia said in shock. "I forbid you to go!"

"And what will you do if I go anyway, big sister?" Luna retorted. "Will you banish me to the Barrier Lands too? Will you throw everypony who displeases you to our brother's realm? How long will it take, I wonder, before big brother rules all of Equestria because of you? Or will you banish me to the moon once more?"

Luna was about to open the doors when she stopped and looked at her sister. "But you can't do that," she said. "It took you the Elements of Harmony to do that and they are no longer here. You have sent them into danger and, for their sake, I will defy even you."

With that, Luna left her sister's room. As she made her way through the halls of the Royal Palace again, she was stopped by a large group of ponies.

"Princess Luna!" one of the ponies, a red stallion with a green apple on his flank said. He bowed low and the rest of his companions followed. "We heard about what AJ and her friends did. We all came here to ask fer forgiveness. AJ's a good pony, she'd never try hurt anypony. She don't deserve to be banished and all."

"Please send her home, your highness," A small yellow filly who bowed right next to the red stallion said. She was in tears as she spoke, and it was hard to make out the words between her sobs. "We all miss AJ. We'll do anything!"

The rest of the ponies came forward and groveled before her. One look at a running theme in their cutie marks told Luna who they were: the Apple Family. Many of them offered to take AJ's place. It didn't take much to understand that AJ meant Applejack.

A pair of royal guards came flying towards the group. "There they are!" one of them yelled. "You ponies aren't allowed here!" As they approached, both of them bowed low before Luna. "We're very sorry, your highness, they broke through and ran here before we could stop them."

Luna raised a hoof to wave off the guard's apologies. "It's fine," she told them. To the Apple Family, she spoke with both reassurance and determination. "I cannot reverse my sister's edict, but rest assured that I am going to do something about it."

The hope she saw in the ponies' eyes only reinforced Luna's determination. Something had to be done. Until her brother comes to and does his part, she decided that she had to act on her own no matter what the cost.


	15. Loyalties

**Upheaval: Breaking Point**

**Chapter 15: Loyalties**

The trek to Bastion City quickly proved to be a difficult one for FangBreaker's survivors. Many of the injured had to be carried or put on the few wagons that they had managed to save from the fortress. The worst had already been flown ahead, leaving the unicorns and earth ponies to move as best as they could across the plain.

The morning cold eased slightly when the overcast sky let a few of the noon sun's rays reach the ponies. It was a small comfort, however. Commander Dreadstep urged his troops to go at a brisk pace to make as good a time as possible. There were defenses to be prepared. Bastion City had to be ready before the wolven even so much as approached it.

Despite the pace, they weathered the journey well. A trip from Bastion City to FangBreaker was practically part of basic training. It was the first thing most of them had ever done in order to join the Legion. They had moved on to the road that connected FangBreaker to Bastion City, which served to ease their journey somewhat. Despite fatigue, the weight of their failure, and short rations, they were making good time.

Not everypony who was traveling with the survivors endured the trip with ease, however. Vanguard Clash watched as Twilight and her friends traveled through rough terrain. They held themselves up well, but the pace and lack of rest was obviously making things difficult. Twilight, in particular, winced with each step of her right foreleg. As the day wore on, even Applejack, the hardiest among them, was showing signs of fatigue.

Rarity trailed behind her friends, panting in exertion while sweat dripped from her face. "Surely, a little rest won't bother anypony?" she muttered. She was about to kneel down for a break when Vanguard walked up from behind her.

"Keep moving," Vanguard said.

"We have been traveling all morning!" Rarity said. "All you gave us for breakfast was a couple of mouthfuls of that disgusting sand you call 'feed' and a small cup of water. It's unreasonable to ask us to keep going like this!"

"Being reasonable has to step aside for necessity, Miss Rarity," Vanguard answered. He bumped against her slightly, urging her to keep moving forward.

"Can I at least ride on those wagons for a short while to rest?" Rarity looked longingly towards one of the wagons. Spike had been allowed to ride on them. Vanguard had reasoned that the dragon shouldn't tax his friends' strained strength by riding on them and his stubby legs would only cause him to fall far behind.

"Your rest will demand payment from the ponies pulling those wagons," Vanguard said. "Not a good way to endear yourself to them. Let me ask you, have you noticed any sidelong glances being tossed your way?"

Rarity looked around her. "Well, now that you've mentioned it, I do feel like I'm being watched."

"That's because you are." Vanguard pulled Rarity to her hooves. "You've been under scrutiny the moment ponies noticed those diamonds on your flank."

"And what does that have anything to do with resting a bit?" Rarity asked as she dusted herself.

"The common perception out here is that you chosen are weak and spoiled," Vanguard said. "If you do things that confirm those perceptions, you will find yourself surrounded by enemies before we can even make it to Bastion City."

Rarity swallowed and quickened her pace to catch up.

Vanguard's tone softened when he spoke again. "Even if your legs feel like falling apart, you have to keep going for now. Respect can be earned, but it will be earned in time, and with effort." He walked ahead of Rarity after that and settled into keeping pace with Twilight. "How's your shoulder?" he asked.

"Painful," Twilight replied, "but I'll be fine. How are your burns?"

"Annoyingly itchy," Vanguard said with wry smile. "But I'll live."

Twilight also smiled. Whether it was out of relief or amusement, Vanguard wasn't sure. They walked quietly for a while before she decided to speak again. "So about your father…" she said.

"What about him?" Vanguard asked. His father had found him earlier that morning. There was no burst of emotion from Sharpfangs like Scarlet Rabbit had shown, only a brief hug and a "glad you're back, son". He had also provided Vanguard with enough concentrated feed for several ponies, much to Twilight's horror and her friends' curiosity.

_"Share it with your new-found friends,"_ Sharpfangs had said. _"You should see your mother, boy, she'll be glad to see you're alive."_

'I'll think about how glad she is while she's kicking my flank for making her think I was dead,' Vanguard thought.

"I've never seen a pony like him before," Twilight continued.

"The fangs are disconcerting I take it?"

"Well, there's that."

"He's a quarter wolven," Vanguard said. "Well, approximately anyway. Bloodlines don't lend themselves to neat fractions. And, yes, that would make me around an eighth of a wolven."

Vanguard noticed Twilight watching him curiously. His remark about his heritage had been casual, as if he was talking about his favorite food. "How did that happen?" she asked. She immediately backtracked once the question left her mouth. "If-if it's alright for you to tell me, that is."

"It's not some painful family secret and you won't be the first I tell it to," Vanguard replied. He paused for a moment, remembering the first time he told this story. From being a controversy, his wolven blood was now nothing more than a curiosity within the Legion. With the wolven however…he put the thought out of his mind. The wolven were deluded and this "breaker" myth their crone was trying to push on him meant nothing. "It started with my great grandmother. Her patrol was ambushed by wolven one day and she was captured. Unfortunately, that band of wolven raiders was led by a particularly perverted wolven." His expression darkened slightly. "When a Special Operations squad finally rescued her, her wings had been gnawed off and that was only one of the monstrosities that this wolven inflicted on her."

"What a monster…" Twilight whispered in disgust. "…even among wolven."

"Perhaps," Vanguard said. "Although, I recall that one of the original reasons for the wolven attacking is that King Fenrir wants to take Princess Luna for his bride. Perhaps this one wasn't so particular after all."

"Princess Luna?" Twilight asked. "Wait, how did you know about that?"

"We have books here, Twilight Sparkle, and I read," Vanguard replied. "Naturally, my grandfather horrified everypony that saw him. My great grandmother kept him, though. 'Pony blood is stronger that wolven blood.' she said. She meant it too. She raised him by herself, I'm told."

"And he proved her right, right?" Twilight asked. She had brightened at the mention of books. She even looked a little giddy and moved with a bit more spring in her step. Vanguard hid a smile. He had anticipated that she was the sort who loved books.

"He did his best to prove her completely wrong," Vanguard replied. "He ended up a criminal, eventually got caught, and hung. Not before he repeated his father's despicable deed. Not surprisingly, there was a large outcry for my father to just be killed the moment he was born."

Twilight remained quiet and listened intently. Despite the fate of Vanguard's grandfather, she still looked hopeful.

"He would have been too, until the matter somehow reached Prince Terrato's ears," Vanguard said. His voice took on a slightly reverent tone. "He forbade them from taking his life. 'This pony will be condemned only by his own actions and nopony elses' he had said. My father got his chance. He was a decent enough pony to earn his life and, strangely enough, the affections of a young, up and coming flight captain. So there you go. That's 'how it happened.'"

They were quiet again. A burst of raucous laughter and high-pitched giggling caused both of them to look ahead. Scarlet Rabbit was flying low and chatting up Pinkie Pie. The two were sharing jokes, unmindful of the ponies around them.

"It must have been hard on you," Twilight said.

Vanguard snorted. "Hardly, my father's done all the work. He's the one who was nearly killed for being born. All I have to put up with is the occasional 'dog' comment."

"The way you talk about him, you must really admire Prince Terrato." Twilight said. It was easy to notice her attempt to change the subject.

"He's our prince," Vanguard replied. "By his words, I'm alive and, by his leadership, the Barrier Lands still stand."

"Have you ever met him?"

"No, and I don't need to. Serving under him is enough for me. What about you?"

"Me?" Twilight shrugged. "I haven't really gotten to know Prince Terrato to have much of an opinion."

"I mean your opinion about his sister. You're Princess Celestia's student. You must know her better than anypony."

"Was," Twilight answered in a low tone.

"I apologize if I'm poking at still fresh wounds," Vanguard said.

"It's fine. And I do admire her. She's kind, patient and wise…the perfect teacher and princess."

Vanguard raised an eyebrow. "I'm a little surprised."

"Why's that?" Twilight asked.

"You sing her praises even though she banished you here."

A frown creased Twilight's brow. "She banished me because she believed that it was for the good of Equestria. She's always thinking of what's best for Equestria even if…even if I don't agree with her." Before Vanguard could respond, Twilight went on. "I know what a lot of ponies in the Legion think. They think she's an evil nag who doesn't care about them. That's not true!"

"You don't have to convince me," Vanguard said.

Twilight's eyes narrowed. "What do you think of Princess Celestia then?"

"I think nothing of her. She's the prince's sister who hasn't done anything to make me care one way or another."

"You don't care that she divided Equestria into the Heartland and the Barrier Lands?"

"I defend my home as best I can with what I have because I live here, not because there are ponies a thousand miles away are depending on me. Besides, Prince Terrato has worked with this division for centuries. It's never bothered him, so why should I be bothered?"

"I think you should care," Twilight said. "Because those ponies a thousand miles away would if they knew what was going on here."

"Are you going to start preaching about 'the truth'?" Vanguard asked. "Pyre Valor did that often. She went about it the loudest just before she hit me with a fireball and betrayed the Legion."

"I'm sorry," Twilight said. Her face told him that she hadn't expected the conversation to swing towards his traitorous friend. "What she did was wrong. But if she intended-!"

"She's a traitor," Vanguard growled. "I don't care what she intended. Her actions condemn her. Hundreds of good ponies are dead and the north is in danger. All of it because of her loyalty to 'the truth'. By the prince's law, I will kill her the next time we meet."

"But she was your friend!"

"And she betrayed that friendship too. Pyre has chosen her side and I've chosen mine."

Twilight fell silent. She looked above her and Vanguard did the same. It was already afternoon and it was starting to get cold again. As hard as she tried to look fine, Twilight was clearly struggling with her shoulder. The long exertion was gradually making things worse. Even the soldiers looked tired. Behind her, Rarity looked like she was about to fall face-first onto the ground. Applejack and Fluttershy walked next to her in concern, but they were beginning to struggle as well. Rainbow Dash flew just a little ahead of her, now involved in a loud conversation with Pinkie and Scarlet.

"Twilight," Vanguard spoke again. Some of the edge had gone from his voice.

"What is it?"

"Do you still consider yourself loyal to Princess Celestia?"

"Of course!"

"Yet, you believe that the ponies of the Heartland should know the truth of this place?"

"Yes, I do."

"But that goes against your mentor's wishes."

Twilight focused her gaze on the ground in deep thought. "Sometimes...sometimes loyalty to a pony doesn't mean agreeing with that pony in all things," she said. She laughed wryly. "Listen to me. That sounds like something I should be asking Spike to write down so I can send it to Princess Celestia."

Vanguard let himself smile as well. "You make a good point, though," he said. "I just hope that my loyalty isn't put to the test in the same way yours was."

Twilight nodded and their conversation switched to less heavy matters. Talking seemed to help her ignore the pain of her injury and let the day wear on faster. It wouldn't be long now until they reached Bastion City.

* * *

><p>Located at what would be considered the center of the Barrier Lands, ignoring the Heartland, the Gray Sentinel stood watch over Equestria. Atop the Alicorn's Perch, the tallest peak in all of the Barrier Lands, the massive fortress served as Prince Terrato's home. From this place, he directed the Equestrian Legion whenever he wasn't out among them. From the blade-like spires to the individual rooms, no mortal pony was involved in the construction of this place, only Terrato's mastery over stone and metal. No mortal pony lived in the Gray Sentinel either. Silent, pony-shaped guardians of iron and stone performed all the necessary maintenance. He refused to make use of the Legion's resources for housekeeping.<p>

The Gray Sentinel's size had nothing to do with Terrato's sense of extravagance. Should the Legion be faced with the most desperate of situations, he planned to gather as many as possible into the fortress in a final stand until Equestria's enemies bled to death trying to destroy them, a time that he believed would never come.

It was also a time that now played out at the very edges of his mind. He consulted the map of Equestria laid out before him. The wolven had broken through his northern front and were bearing down the ponies who lived in his realm. Reinforcements from the western and southern fronts were still on the way. All of this happened merely a day after he left FangBreaker and returned to this place.

_"You are my defender."_

Terrato's eyes narrowed as he stared at the map. Celestia was asking him to work miracles. Part of him felt flattered, even excited, at the chance to assure his sister that Equestria was safe while he stood watch. Most of him, however, could only brood over the unnecessary cost of Celestia's so-called faith in him. He was deluding himself if he believed that this situation was a mark of her faith. In truth, this situation was proof of how much his dearest sister wanted nothing to do with him.

To complicate matters, he now had to play foal-sitter for Twilight Sparkle and her merry band of rebels. If they were still alive. 'I told you that it was going to bite your flank, Celestia,' he thought. 'Now I have to worry about whether it's going to take a chunk off.'

_"You cannot hide out here forever, big brother. The changes will force you to act."_

Then, there was Luna.

Terrato was no longer sure what to make of his younger sister. He had suspected that she was trying to get him on her side in another attempt at taking over their eldest sister's rule and that she still stank of Nightmare Moon's influence. But, earlier, she was the one who showed concern over his realm. The look on her face made him think that she was even willing to come over to the Barrier Lands and take up post.

That was something he couldn't allow. He still remembered that moment even if more than a thousand years had passed. He had just come back from his greatest victory over Fenrir. There was wolven blood still spattered over his hide and hooves. His horn had been broken and was still smeared with bits of Fenrir's eyeball. He had triumphantly flown back to his sisters with a glorious tale of what he did to those who wanted to harm them. Luna was happy that her "suitor" had been punished and the sight of her joy warmed his heart. But one look from Celestia destroyed that moment. Their eldest sister had given him a withering, disapproving stare that told him to stop. He knew that, from then on, Luna was off-limits. His relationship with his younger sister cooled and the barrier came to be in that same year.

Something went through Celestia's barrier again. Annoyance quickly marred Terrato's face. Just how often was that barrier going to be breached? He recognized the presence of the one who breached it too. 'As if on cue,' he thought.

Sure enough, magic began to gather in the room. Luna materialized across the table from him. "What did I tell you about coming here?" Terrato asked. He let some of his annoyance tinge his words.

"Our sister doesn't need my support right now, big brother," Luna answered. "You do."

"Am I a crippled old stallion so that my filly of a sister has to help me?"

"You need help and our sister won't aid you. Let me."

Terrato rounded the table and stared his younger sister in the eye so that his face was but an inch from hers. He saw her quiver slightly, but she did not back away. "I will break your wings and kick you back to the Heartland if you won't go on your own," he growled.

Luna held his gaze steadily, a move that surprised him. Was this even the same filly who ran crying under him when she first heard what Fenrir intended? "If you want a fight, big brother, look to the north. I'm not blind. There are three chairs in this meeting hall you designed. You've always meant for the three of us to lead a united Equestria together. We can start here!"

Terrato snorted and turned away from Luna. She was right. This room was designed as a meeting room that could accommodate him and his sisters. It was an idiotic pipe dream that he kept for some reason. Luna saw that with a glance. "Do what you want," he said. "Go north. Find Twilight Sparkle if you want to make yourself useful."

"Does that mean you'll let me stay and help?"

"Stay out of the fighting and concern yourself with Celestia's batch of rebels. If I find out that you've been fighting, you're going back to the Heartland with hoof-prints on your face."

Terrato exhaled loudly. 'Well, I'm not getting Celestia's approval either way,' he thought. He froze when he felt a pair of legs embrace him from the side.

"Thank you," Luna whispered. "For trusting me this much, at least."

A familiar warm feeling enveloped Terrato for a moment. His own forelegs seemed to move on their own to hug back, but he quickly stopped himself and pushed her away. "Get going before I regain my sanity," he said. She smiled in return, then cast her spell. In a flash of dark blue, she was gone. 'I'm sorry, Celestia,' he thought. 'But I have to build miracles out of something.'


	16. Divisions

**Upheaval: Breaking Point**

**Chapter 16: Divisions**

As night settled across the northern plains, it did so upon the already set up camp of FangBreaker Fortress's survivors. By the end of the day, everypony was completely exhausted. Commander Dreadstep had called for a rest only when the sun had partly set. At their pace, they expected to arrive at Bastion City by tomorrow noon. Already, Bastion City's tallest buildings could be seen as small shapes over the horizon. The mere sight of them brought some relief to a lot of ponies.

Twilight Sparkle counted herself among them. She was also glad to finally be able to rest. Her shoulder was really starting to hurt and her legs were starting to give. However, she was more concerned over somepony else's fatigue. She found Rarity flat on the ground, panting in exhaustion while sweat dripped from her mane. Even with the cold, the exertion made them sweat. Twilight knew that she didn't look much better. "How are you feeling?" she asked.

"Utterly exhausted," Rarity replied between pants. "If this is what life in the Legion is always going to be like, I'm afraid I may not last very long."

"Don't say that," Twilight said. "I'm sure you'll get used to it. Here, I brought you some dinner."

Rarity looked up expectantly. "Please, please, please, tell me it's a bowl of tossed salad with some pastries for dessert!" she said. "Even a loaf of ordinary bread will do!"

"Sorry," Twilight replied. She placed the small pouch in front of her friend.

The sight of the pouch seemed to suck the last remaining strength from Rarity. She opened it, her expectant look already crumbling. "More of that disgusting sandy feed," she muttered. She poured some of the grainy material onto her hoof.

"Cheer up, Rarity. Vanguard says there's lots of decent food at Bastion City and we're almost there."

"It's not that. Well, it's not only that. This feed is certainly depressing in its own right."

"So, what's wrong?" Twilight asked.

"I was…I was just thinking of Sweetie Belle," Rarity said. "I hope she's not too terribly upset about me being banished. And Carousel Boutique! It's only been a few days, but it's most likely in shambles now! I didn't even get to finish that last order too. Spike worked so hard to help me with all those gems and it was all for naught!"

It was Twilight's turn to look downcast. "I'm sorry," she said."This is my fault." An image of Ponyville came to her mind. How were the ponies taking her and her friends' disappearances? Had they even noticed? What had Princess Celestia told them? To make things worse, she and her friends may have well been considered criminals since they were banished. Then there were her parents. It must be crushing for them to realize that their daughter, who had been doing so well, was now an exile. A hoof touched her own.

"Don't you start thinking that I regret joining you here," Rarity said with a smile. "That's not true. I just…" The smile lessened slightly. "...I just wish I was given a chance to say goodbye and set my affairs in order. I think all of our friends feel the same way."

"I understand," Twilight replied. "I wish I could have seen my family too. Princess Celestia must have been afraid that we would spread the knowledge of this place if we weren't banished immediately."

"Well, let's not wallow too much on unfulfilled wishes. Excuse me, I have to choke down dinner."

Rarity gave the feed on her hoof one more disgusted look, then stuffed all of it into her mouth. Eating soon turned into a mixture of grimacing and chewing. After another apologetic look, Twilight went on her way. She was thinking of seeing Spike by the wagons when something else caught her eye. That and a loud, distinct shout that made her curious and worried.

"What did you just tell me, chosen?" a deep-voiced pony shouted.

Twilight didn't recognize the voice, but she knew the tone it took. She didn't like the word "chosen" but there were two ways that it was spoken here in the Barrier Lands. There was Vanguard's way of saying it, which turned it into a neutral word to say where a pony was from. There was also the way Pyre said it, which turned it into the worst thing a pony could be. The voice just now sounded more Pyre Valor than Vanguard Clash.

"You heard me loud and clear!"

The response made Twilight hurry. That was Applejack, a rather angry Applejack by the sound of it. She found her friend staring up at a yellow earth stallion. A few ponies had gathered around the spot to watch.

"I ain't talking in fancy!" Applejack said. "You ran into me on purpose and I want an apology!"

"If you weren't so slow, I wouldn't bump into you," the stallion growled. "You think you own this plain, chosen?"

The stallion stood around a head taller than Applejack, but she didn't back up as much as an inch. "This plain is big enough for the both of us and an army of ponies. You bumped into me on purpose, now pony up and say you're sorry!"

"The only thing that's going to be sorry here is your worthless hide!" the stallion shouted. He pushed Applejack with a hoof, making her stumble backward for a foot.

Applejack quickly stepped forward and shoved back. "So it's a scrap you want, huh?" she said. "Why didn't you say so?"

"The chosen thinks she knows what a fight is!" one of the spectators hooted. "Rough her up and show her how it's done, Stoneshod!"

Stoneshod raised himself to full height and banged his front hooves together. Twilight noticed that his hoof had glinted when he shoved Applejack and that they clanged when he struck them together. "If you're going to move like a crippled mule, chosen, you may as well be one!" he snarled. Some of the ponies in the background yelled in approval. Applejack held her ground and braced herself. From the look of things, it seemed that she had resigned herself to fight on, even if she was going get badly injured.

Twilight decided that enough was enough. She pushed ahead, ready to intervene with magic if she had to.

The yelling stopped before Twilight could move any farther and the gathered ponies parted to let somepony through. "Stand down before I call the Legion Police on you, Stoneshod," Vanguard said.

"Vanguard Clash?" Stoneshod asked. "What are you doing defending this chosen? They're a spoiled, cowardly lot! All of them!"

Vanguard stepped in between Applejack and Stoneshod. "So you're picking a fight with this smaller, unarmed, and untrained chosen while wearing your tramplers and with your friends nearby because she's a coward? What a hero you are, Stoneshod!"

Stoneshod hesitated for a moment. Then, with renewed resolve, he stepped forward again. "They don't deserve any sort of honorable battle," he growled.

"This chosen is here because she defied her princess," Vanguard said. He stepped forward and matched Stoneshod's stare. "She's been banished for believing that Equestria's division is wrong. You will show her respect for that."

"I'll show her how we deal justice!" Stoneshod pushed past Vanguard to lunge at Applejack. For his trouble, his face encountered a pair of back hooves. Applejack had aimed well. Her kick struck Stoneshod's chin with a resounding thud and a distinct crack. The force of the blow knocked him on his back a few feet away. He lay there for a while, his eyes wide with surprise and his jaw slung open. A collective gasp of surprise escaped the gathered ponies. With a fierce cry, Stoneshod struggled to his hooves, only to fall flat on his belly when something landed on him in a streak of red.

"Assaulting an unarmed civilian," Scarlet Rabbit crowed as he sat on top of Stoneshod. "We're looking at thirty lashes there, Stoneshod. I hope somepony remembered to take a whip from the fort. I only had time to save some booze!"

Stoneshod struggled against Scarlet, but the pegasus's weight was too much. "You ponies over at Special Operations think you're so high and mighty," he growled. He winced in pain and clutched his jaw. No assistance came from his friends, who were already dispersing. Twilight spotted a trio of barded ponies making their way towards the commotion. She didn't recognize the barding, but this must be the Legion Police Vanguard was talking about.

"Sounds like loser talk from somepony who didn't make the cut," Scarlet said with a laugh. He flew off Stoneshod as the armored ponies moved in.

Several minutes passed as Vanguard explained the situation to the Legion Police. With a nod, they escorted Stoneshod away while the other ponies returned to their business. Twilight and the rest of their friends came over once the commotion had dispersed. They settled down around a campfire that Scarlet had set up.

"What was all that commotion about?" Rarity asked. She looked disapprovingly at Applejack. "Roughhousing with the legionnaires already?"

"He started it," Applejack replied.

"He's going to have to see somepony about that jaw," Fluttershy said. "I hope Doctor Redbrand doesn't yell at him too loudly. It looks like it really hurts."

"I heard Scarlet say something about lashing," Pinkie Pie said. "Are they going to pluck his eyelashes for being a bully?"

"Maybe, if they didn't get a whip from the fort before we ran for it," Scarlet replied.

"That's ridiculous!" Rainbow Dash said. "And I hope that this Doctor Redbrand does yell at him for being a jerk!"

"Are you alright, Applejack?" Twilight asked.

"I'll be fine," Applejack answered. She turned towards Vanguard. "Thank you kindly for stepping in. You distracted him long enough at least. I hope I didn't make too many enemies."

"You probably made a few less," Vanguard replied. "That's quite the kick you have there. If you were wearing tramplers, you might have taken his head off."

"Years of apple bucking," Applejack said.

"A farm pony, hm? Have you worn barding before? Vanguard asked.

"No. I tried out Big Macintosh's collar once. Would that count?

"Infantry can work with that." Vanguard patted Applejack's shoulders and back. "Looks strong," he commented. "You'll do well."

"What about this 'Special Operations' that Stoneshod was talking about?" Applejack asked. "Is that your group?"

"Special Operations is made up of small squads of different ponies," Vanguard answered. "We serve as troubleshooters for the Legion."

"Could any of us end up in Special Operations?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"I doubt it," Vanguard replied. "My squad itself just lost its unicorn mage and earth pony skirmisher, but we recruit from within the Legion, among experienced legionnaires. It's unlikely that new recruits will head straight to our squad."

"What about unicorns?" Rarity asked. "Where would we go?"

"The Legion can always use more unicorn magi. It depends on the spells that you have. Offensive casters get bundled into firing lines, the defensive ones tend to be distributed. There's still the problem of you chosen unicorns having to deal with using magic outside the Heartland."

"Isn't there something that can be done about that?" Twilight asked.

"I don't know," Vanguard replied. "Perhaps the prince has a method for adjusting your magic for his realm. Or you'll just get used to this place."

With the questions out of the way, the group was silent for some time. The only sounds coming from Spike, who had started dozing next to Twilight, and the uncomfortable grunts of Applejack and Rainbow Dash trying get a mouthful of concentrated feed down.

Vanguard watched them in amusement, then turned towards Scarlet Rabbit. "Did I hear you right back there?" he asked. "Did you save some booze from the fort?"

"Storm Brew gave me a free bottle when I managed to save the last barrel from the brewery!" Scarlet Rabbit said. "It's Good Stuff too! I hid it under one of the wagons. Wanna drink it, Captain?"

"Our new friends look like they need help in swallowing my father's feed." Vanguard replied.

Scarlet Rabbit was gone in a streak of red. A few seconds later, he was back with a bottle clamped in his mouth and several glasses in his forelegs.

"What's that?" Twilight asked as Scarlet poured Vanguard a glass. The liquid that flowed from the bottle was clear and sparkling. To her surprise, small arcs of blue electricity appeared at random intervals in the liquid.

"Storm Brew's Good Stuff!" Scarlet replied as he poured himself a glass.

"But what is it called?" Twilight asked again.

"I just told you. Good Stuff!"

"Storm Brew is an excellent brewer," Vanguard said. He took a sip. "Not so good with names."

"I'll try some!" Pinkie said. With an approving nod, Scarlet gave her a glass and poured her a drink. "Here goes!" She emptied the glass in a single pull.

"That's not a good idea," Vanguard said. He backed away slightly.

"That was delicious!" Pinkie Pie said. "It's like punch, but not very sweet, and really smooth! It leaves this tingly feeling in your tongue, then a cool feeling in your throat! Is that barley I'm tasting? What's with the-?"

"Here comes the kick," Vanguard said.

Arcs of electricity surged through Pinkie Pie. Her mane and tail to stood on end. A trail of smoke left her mouth as she spoke. "Awesome…" she gasped, then fell to her side. Worried, her friends looked her over while Scarlet held his sides and laughed.

"So who else wants a glass?" Scarlet asked. Nopony took up the offer so he poured himself another drink before watching Pinkie doze off with a smile. "She's good though," he said. "Maybe I should introduce her to Storm Brew."

"What was her job in the Heartland?" Vanguard asked.

"Well, she lived with some bakers," Twilight offered.

"A baker, hm? I'm not sure about her fighting skills," Vanguard said. "Maybe she can be a lot of help to my father. She might even make that sandy feed you all hate so much tasty."

"A worthwhile goal, I assure you!" Rarity added.

"Take a hint from Pinkie Pie," Vanguard said. "Time to turn in. We still have some walking to do tomorrow."

The rest of them agreed and did just that.

* * *

><p>Some time passed and the entire camp had become quiet. Nearly everypony was asleep, save for the sentries guarding the perimeter.<p>

Vanguard Clash found himself awake and he quickly realized that he wasn't alone in that. Nearby, Applejack was sitting by the fire while her friends slumbered around her. "Something wrong?" he asked.

"Not really," Applejack replied. "I was just thinking about…stuff."

Vanguard didn't reply immediately and settled near her.

"Say, Vanguard?" Applejack asked.

"Yes?"

"What Stoneshod said about us 'chosen' ponies…is that how all of you legion-types feel? Do you think we're all cowardly and spoiled?"

"No," Vanguard answered. "If I thought that then I'd be joining Stoneshod in beating you up. The fact that no one helped him should give you a clue as to how popular his opinion is."

"So he's just one disgruntled pony?"

"That's not quite true either. The ponies of the Barrier Lands have different opinions on the chosen," Vanguard said. "Some like to treat you and the Heartland like a fairy tale so they can just concentrate on fighting for their homes. Others acknowledge your existence, but put their faith in our prince knowing what's best. There are also ponies who just like a good fight, and don't sweat anything else." He looked at Scarlet Rabbit when he said that. "Then there's Stoneshod and his ilk, ponies who like to hold on to a centuries-old grudge."

"So where do you put yourself?"

"I think I'm a mix of the first two," Vanguard said.

"Why would anypony want to hold on to a grudge? We've never done anything to them. If we knew what was going on out in these parts, we'd all have done something to help!"

"Don't be so quick to put all your fellow chosen in the same boat," Vanguard said. "As for why hold on to a grudge, who knows? Perhaps it makes them feel superior by playing the victim of injustice. They could genuinely feel that it's the chosen's fault. Or they could just be carrying on their parents' beliefs."

A minute of silence passed with the two of them simply staring at the fire. "Speaking of folks…" Applejack said. "I hope your pa's not too upset about us not liking his sandy feed. To be honest, I don't think it's that bad. It'll probably taste better with a little apple sauce."

"I'm sure he's already taking your ability to swallow it with only a little gagging as a compliment," Vanguard replied. He paused. "Is that why you were wandering around when Stoneshod ran into you? You were looking for some apple sauce?"

"Well…yeah," Applejack answered, her face reddening slightly. "Just plain apples would have done it. I can make apple sauce in a jiff." She paused for a while. "What about your ma? Is she in the Legion too?"

"I'm avoiding her for now," Vanguard replied. "Until I have access to an actual hospital. I'll be lucky if she doesn't assault me on our way to Bastion City."

Applejack laughed. "Sounds like one of my aunties," she said. She was quiet for a while again. Vanguard noticed an air of melancholy around her. The smile on her face quickly faded. "It must be nice working with your folks in the Legion," she said.

"I see," Vanguard replied. He patted Applejack on the shoulder in an awkward attempt at comfort, once more wishing that he had the voice for this. "Perhaps it will help if you look at it this way."

Applejack looked at him curiously. At the sight of her scrutiny, Vanguard coughed slightly before continuing. "Though they're far away and you miss them. Try to take comfort in knowing that they're far away from all of this and that they're safe."

"That's a nice thought," Applejack said. To Vanguard's relief, some of her smile managed to come back. "Thank you kindly, Vanguard, that's real nice of you."

Vanguard cleared his throat and looked away. "Now, get some rest," he said. "You'll lose the respect you earned today if you collapse in exhaustion tomorrow."

"Understood, Captain."

With that, Applejack settled in between Rarity and Rainbow Dash and closed her eyes, leaving Vanguard alone to stare at the fire. The flames reminded him of the unicorn mage his squad had lost.

_"I don't care what she intended. Her actions condemn her. Hundreds of good ponies are dead and the north is in danger because of her loyalty to 'the truth'. By the prince's law, I will kill her the next time we meet."_

He had sounded so strong and determined back there. He wondered if Twilight Sparkle even believed a word he said about being able to kill Pyre Valor just like that. She likely saw right through him. Pyre Valor had been one of his very few friends for a very long time. There was no way he would be able to kill her and feel nothing.

He felt a little pathetic, sitting by himself in front of the fire. He was the captain of only one pony and his failure to arrive in time still loomed from the north. Helping these chosen, however, gave him some comfort. He had never been one to make friends. He was lucky to have met Pyre Valor all those years ago and he knew quite well that Blademane was not really his friend but Pyre's. Scarlet Rabbit was…an accidental friendship. He remembered being back in that wolven's tent and realizing how little he had when Pyre Valor left him to die. It was a dark and terrible feeling, a feeling that he could put behind him now.

'I've lost two and found six,' he thought. 'Not a bad trade in the end.' A few more minutes passed and he settled down for some sleep himself. Tomorrow, Bastion City awaited.


	17. Necessity

**Upheaval: Breaking Point**

**Chapter 17: Necessity**

Among the cities of the Barrier Lands, Bastion City had a reputation for being a rough and tumble place. As the closest city to Wolvengard, it was far from anypony's mind when thinking about good places to settle down in. Knowing that it was going to be the first city in the path of an invasion should the wolven move past FangBreaker Fortress, the city's founders built it for defense. Its high walls were made of massive stone blocks transported all the way from the mountainous regions of the Western Barrier Land, reinforced with timber, and patrolled daily by the city's garrison. It's rounded towers sported ballistae as well as snipers.

Several farms lay outside the city, where only the hardiest of crops were grown. Mosses and lichen served as staple food out here, to the point where the city was as famous for them. Cities to the south traded for these products, considering some of them to be delicacies in their own right. In return, Bastion City received vegetables, quarry, and lumber. A nearby lake, though frozen for half the year, provided a supply of water.

Bastion City was also famous for another product it had in ample supply: wolven fur. It had a steady stream of them coming in from FangBreaker Fortress. The city's tanners, experts in converting them into clothing, had developed a method for softening the normally tough fur. Cities in the Northern Barrier Land prized them for their hardy insulation, useful when the often bitter winter blew in.

There would be no deliveries coming in from FangBreaker Fortress any time soon. News of its fall was already widespread throughout the city. Constructions had sprung up as walls were reinforced and barricades created. The farmers moved into the city with all the crops they could harvest and all the fresh water they could collect. The price for a suit of barding and a set of tramplers tripled practically overnight.

* * *

><p>"These ponies don't look very happy," Fluttershy said as she passed through the massive gates of the city. The survivors of FangBreaker Fortress arrived by noon and were greeted with a mixture of relief and grim confirmation by Bastion City's residents.<p>

"They're expecting a wolven attack in less than a week," Vanguard answered as he took his place in front of her and their friends. "You'll have to forgive them for not being in a festive mood."

"I'm just glad that we've finally arrived," Rarity said wearily. "I hope they have plenty of food to spare."

"What are we going to do now, Vanguard?" Twilight asked. Before Vanguard could reply, Scarlet Rabbit came into view.

"I just spoke with one of the sentries!" Scarlet Rabbit said. He flew in to take his place next to Vanguard. "They readied several buildings nearby for us to use as soon as they heard we were coming. Dreadstep's just ordered everypony to get there, rest up, then take part in getting our defenses ready."

"Good," Vanguard replied. "First, we need to get you chosen some cloaks. We've got maybe a week or so of fall before the first blizzard sweeps in from the north. You won't be much use to the Legion as frozen corpses."

"Good idea," Rarity said. "It is getting rather chilly."

"But fall was just about start back home!" Applejack protested. "Don't tell me that time moves faster out here!"

"It is fall," Vanguard said. "Or it is down south. Here, we get a short spring and summer, followed by winter. I take it that Princess Celestia didn't let you pack before banishing you?"

"No." Twilight looked at the ground.

"Well that answers my old question," Rarity said. "In exile, one packs warm."

"We don't have any bits on us," Twilight said.

"Even if you did, I doubt that Heartland bits would be recognized here," Vanguard replied. "Scarlet and I will take care of expenses for now. You can pay us back with your first salaries."

"Thank you," Twilight said. "I think you've saved us again."

"Don't bother keeping track. Lives are endangered and saved far too often here," Vanguard replied. He turned towards Scarlet. "Scarlet, spot us a good deal while I go get some back pay. Hopefully, somepony remembered to save some of the treasury before the fort fell."

"On it, Captain!" Scarlet replied. He saluted before flying ahead.

About a quarter of an hour passed after both Vanguard and Scarlet went off. When they reconvened, Vanguard had a pouch full of bits while Scarlet was escorting a peddler, a tan-colored pony with a graying, light brown mane and mustache. Behind the peddler was a covered wagon. "Six of your warmest cloaks," Vanguard said.

"Make that seven!" Spike said. He had been riding on Applejack's back during the final few miles of the trip, having gotten bored of being alone on the wagons.

"Seven then." Vanguard replied. "Six for ponies and a small one for the dragon."

"I'll give ya a good price since ya legion-types are the ones getting the material anyway," the peddler rasped. The mention of "dragon" didn't seem to bother him. He removed the wagon's covering, showing a pile of gray cloaks and boots. Twilight and the others moved in to see the merchandise.

"They look a little plain," Rarity said. "But the feel of it is wonderful. Why, you'd think it was actual fur from the texture."

The peddler looked at Rarity. "That's 'cause it is actual fur, miss," he said.

Rarity's jaw dropped. "A-actual fur?" she asked. "As in this once belonged to an animal and you peeled it off its body?"

They could hear Fluttershy gag behind them. The others gasped at the revelation.

"Well it's not really peelin'," the peddler answered. "Ya need a good 'n sharp knife and some of that smelly tannin. Don't know much of the process myself, but ya won't find better treated wolven fur than the ones here in Bastion City."

"Wolven?" Rainbow Dash asked. "As in those monsters coming after us?"

"Yup," the peddler answered. He turned towards Vanguard. "Strange bunch o' folks yer buyin fer. I'm not even talkin about that filly's crazy mane."

"They're new here," Vanguard said. He started counting out his money. "So, how much are you selling them for?"

"We can't wear these!" Twilight said.

"They're cheap, durable, and the best insulation you're going to get," Vanguard replied. "You'll wear them, or your first Barrier Lands winter will be your last."

"It's bad enough that we have to kill them. Now, we have to skin them and wear their fur for clothes?" Twilight asked.

Vanguard kept his face expressionless. "When the wolven kill a pony, they take the mane and tail for trophies, eat every inch of the flesh, then use the bones for tools and ornaments," he said. "Not a single body part goes to waste. Each time a pony is killed, the wolven are sustained. We can't match that efficiency, but we do what we can."

Twilight's eyes narrowed. "If we do as the wolven do, then we're no better than them," she said.

"This isn't about showing off how much better we are than them," Vanguard replied. "It's about surviving. Whether it's against a horde of wolven or a merciless barrage of snow and wind, we do what we must."

Twilight looked away. "It's still wrong," she said. "Can't we use some other material?"

"Look around you. Does this look like a place where you can grow cotton or raise silk worms?" Vanguard sighed before continuing. "Why don't we talk about this some other time? Spend some time in Bastion City. After you go through a winter storm fresh from the frigid valleys of Wolvengard, we can discuss how wrong it is to skin the wolven."

"Uh…are ya buyin' the goods or not?" the peddler asked.

"We'll take seven cloaks and seven sets of those boots," Vanguard said.

"Thanks. I hope they help ya kill more of them wolven."

The peddler went on his way while Vanguard distributed the cloaks. To him, they looked as if they were holding the freshly severed heads of the wolven instead of clothes. Irritation crept up on him. He walked over to Twilight, who looked away as he approached. He grasped her by the shoulders and looked her in the eye. "You said that you would stand with the Legion," he told her. "And that you will stand by your words. Was that all a lie?"

Vanguard's words seemed to ignite something inside Twilight. She looked right back at him, her eyebrows furrowing in indignation. "I meant every word!" she said.

"I don't believe you," Vanguard growled. "All of you wince this much over the fur of a wolven you didn't even kill." He swept his gaze over all of them. "What could possibly be left of any of you when you have to walk over the corpses of the ones you will kill? If this is your limit, then go back to the Heartland and beg for your princess's forgiveness. She'll take you back and you can forget we exist." He looked to Twilight again. "How do we stand stronger together when you can't even stand strong on your own?"

Twilight pushed away Vanguard's hooves so that he had to take a step back. She took the cloak and put it around her while glaring at him. The rest of her friends followed, their eyes downcast. Vanguard doubted that he shamed them into doing it, but the reality of having to kill wolven themselves must weigh in their minds now. Fluttershy looked like she was draping a sheet of fire over herself. "Let's go," he told them. "Scarlet, lead the way to our new barracks."

* * *

><p>Hours passed after Twilight and the others bought their cloaks and boots. They were now staying inside one of the buildings the city had provided for Legion. For now, they were asked to stay at a single large room with several beds, where they waited restlessly for any news of what they should be doing. They intended to join the Legion but, due to complications, they had ended up in some sort of vague state of being part of it and, at the same time, not. Vanguard Clash had gone out to check on that matter while Scarlet Rabbit stayed behind.<p>

They had been treated to a meal of fresh moss with lichen tea. Though they were a little suspicious of the food's appearance, they quickly agreed that, not only was it far superior to Sharpfangs's sandy feed, it was actually quite delicious. The only complaint came from Spike, who had enjoyed the meal, but still wished he had a few gems to go along with it. After the meal, they had taken to lounging about. Impatience quickly filled the room so thickly that it felt like a dark cloud.

"Well, I have to admit this much," Rarity said. She was still holding the wolven fur cloak that had been given to her. "Its source is horribly morbid but, objectively speaking, the material is quite good."

"How can you say that?" Fluttershy asked. "It's fur! It belonged to another creature!"

"I know, dear," Rarity said. "But I'm inclined to agree with Captain Clash. In the absence of other materials, we have to make do. "

"Make do." Fluttershy said. She tossed her cloak aside. "I would rather-!"

"Die?" Applejack asked. Everypony in the room looked at her. She sighed and set her cloak aside. "Look, I don't like these things. I think they're disgusting, not 'good material'!" She glared at Rarity as she said that. "But I ain't freezing to death because I'm scared of some dead varmint's fur. 'specially if that dead varmint is a dead wolven. At the end of the day, useful beats disgusting."

Eager to move on to a different subject, Rainbow Dash turned towards Scarlet Rabbit, who had not been paying attention to any of them. He sat by one corner, whistling to himself. "Hey, Scarlet!" she said. "Just how long are we going to sit here doing nothing?"

"Relax," Scarlet replied. "The captain will take care of it."

"What exactly is 'it'?" Rarity asked.

"I dunno, but the captain will deal with it anyway. Don't worry your silly flank-pictures off."

"They're called cutie marks!" Rarity said. "Not silly flank-!"

Before Rarity could finish, the door to the room swung open and Vanguard stepped inside. Rainbow Dash immediately flew over to him. "So?" she asked. "Do we get to do something now?"

"Soon," Vanguard replied. He faced the group as he continued. "We've just received word that Princess Luna is coming to Bastion City. Prince Terrato will arrive afterwards. Commander Dreadstep will present all of you to them once they arrive, so we can decide just how to deal with you."

"More waiting," Rainbow muttered. She collapsed on one of the beds and put a pillow over her face.

"Wait," Twilight said. "Princess Luna is out here? What is she doing in the Barrier Lands?"

"Nopony knows," Vanguard answered. "But Prince Terrato let her stay in his realm so he must have some purpose for her. For now, I'd like you to come with me, Twilight."

The request took Twilight by surprise. After a few seconds, she nodded, and followed Vanguard.

"Why does Twilight get to do everything?" Rainbow Dash asked as soon as they left.

* * *

><p>It was already late afternoon, but the city remained bustling with activity. As she walked next to Vanguard, Twilight took the time to take in the city sights. Bastion City favored stone buildings reinforced with heavy lumber, both likely transported from someplace else. They tended to be low and flat, with gabled roofs to keep snow from piling. A few still had flat roofs, however. The streets were paved for smoother traffic, but they showed cracks in several places. All around her, carts of supplies moved back and forth. The ponies who pulled them moved with urgency.<p>

"So where are we going?" Twilight asked.

"I take it that Princess Celestia didn't teach you any spell specifically for killing wolven?" Vanguard asked in return.

"Of course not!"

"Then all you have is your telekinesis to fight them. Maybe some force blasts as well. Telekinesis a strong spell, but the focus you have to maintain to keep it up leaves you open to attack. Force is useful to, but it takes too much to make it lethal. You need an offensive spell that you can cast quickly and on the move. We're going to get some of those."

"Are you taking me to the library then?"

"No. Bastion City's library is mostly records. The spell books, especially the ones with combat spells, were placed in FangBreaker's vaults for training unicorn magi. Unfortunately, we saved only a few of those. They're currently in safe-keeping and they're reserved for legionnaires. I think I might be able to get you something, though. Here we are."

They stopped in front of a small house at a side street. The light by the window indicated somepony was inside. Vanguard knocked on the door and waited. After a minute, the door opened a crack, and somepony's eye peeped through. "Who is it?" a cracking, suspicious voice asked.

"It's me, Vanguard Clash," Vanguard answered. The door immediately swung open and they were greeted by an elderly unicorn couple.

"Vanguard!" the blue stallion exclaimed in his raspy voice.

Before he could say anything else, however, the white mare interrupted. "Where's my Pyre?" she asked. "Why isn't Pyre with you? Has something happened?"

Twilight's eyes widened. She recognized the resemblance: the white coat, the black mane, even the brown eyes.

Vanguard's expression softened. When he spoke, his voice was heavy. "Pyre Valor fought valiantly when the fortress was attacked," he said. "I'm sorry for your loss."

"No…no…no…" the elderly mare's knees gave way and the stallion quickly supported her. "Not my Pyre!" she wailed.

The elderly stallion's face crumpled with grief, but he held it together when he talked to Vanguard. "Thank you for telling us. You're a good colt, Vanguard. Always were." He looked at his wife, and stroked her mane with a hoof. "We knew that this might happen, dear," he said. "We knew."

"Do you still have some of her possessions?" Vanguard asked. "The attack happened so quickly…"

"I understand," Pyre Valor's father said. "We kept her room exactly as it was when she left for the fort. Go on, take something to remember her by."

"We'll be respectful," Vanguard said as he entered the house. He gestured for Twilight to follow. She slipped past the grieving couple and did so. The house was a small, cramped place with only candles and a small fireplace for lighting. Pyre Valor's room was separated from the main room through a hanging piece of fur. Inside was a simple bed, a few shelves by the wall, and a dresser. Vanguard sorted through the assortment of books on the shelves, then pulled one out to give to Twilight. "Pyre wrote down her earliest spells there," he said. "You should find them useful."

Twilight flipped through the pages. As she scanned them, one word quickly stood out: Fireball. It said much of a unicorn when the first few spells she learned involved making a powerful explosion to kill her enemies.

"Let's go," Vanguard said. The two of them left the house while the elderly couple watched from the door.

"Miss!" Pyre's father called after Twilight. She turned around to see what he wanted. "You're the new unicorn mage for Vanguard's squad, aren't you?"

"Um…well…actually…" Twilight stammered.

"Honor your predecessor!" Pyre's mother snarled. Tears were still streaming down her face while she spoke. "For Pyre Valor's sake, burn a hundred of those flea-bitten, murdering mongrels!"

"I will," Twilight said. It was only after the words left her lips and they had already rounded a corner did she realize the implications of what she said. She turned towards Vanguard. "Why didn't you tell them the truth?" she asked.

"Tell them what?" Vanguard asked. "That their daughter is a traitor who was willing to get hundreds of ponies, including them, killed? Why do that?"

Twilight had no answer. "Why did you bring me along?" she asked. "You could have gone on your own and brought the book back."

"I wanted you to see."

"See what?"

"The things we bear out here. The reason why we do what we must. To try to keep that from happening to everypony in Equestria, even if it's a futile effort, I will kill the wolven by the hundreds and wear their skins."

Twilight lowered her gaze and stared at the pavement as they made their way back.

"What about you?" Vanguard asked. "Did you mean what you told them?"

"That I'd burn a hundred wolven for Pyre Valor?" Twilight asked in return. "I'm not even replacing her in your squad. I doubt that I could even if I tried."

"But you will try. Or are you just as much a liar as I am?"

"I…I don't know." They were silent the rest of the way. By the time Vanguard spoke up, they were about to enter the building where their friends were.

"Take care of that book. I may have lied to them about Pyre Valor's intentions, but I didn't lie about wanting something to remember her by."

"Why this book then? I mean, I know it's to give me some spells to use, but is it significant for you as well?"

"I gave Pyre that blank book when I was just a colt," Vanguard answered. "It's a remnant of a time when all she cared about was collecting fire spells." He stared off distantly as he spoke. "Good times."

"Are you still going to kill her if you meet her again?" Twilight asked.

"If she's somehow still alive…yes. She's a dangerous traitor who needs to be put down. It'll tear me up inside, but I will kill her."

"Pardon me for saying so, but I'm a little glad that it will at least tear you up inside."

Without answering to that, he opened the door and the two of them went inside.


	18. Terrato's Choice

**Upheaval: Breaking Point**

**Chapter 18: Terrato's Choice**

"Welcome to Bastion City, your highness," the pony guard said.

Luna dipped her head slightly towards the guard to show her appreciation. To her, his face may as well have been chiseled out of rock. It was the same for the other guards posted along the wall where she had landed and it was the sort of reaction that she had expected. The ponies of the Barrier Lands were not quite sure how to feel about her. She knew that many of them despised Celestia and adored Terrato, but she guessed that she had not done much to place herself in either of those extremes. Her worry had been that these ponies would resent her for being the one who provoked King Fenrir and causing the wolven to avalanche from the north.

_"Don't flatter yourself,"_ her brother once told her once. It was more than a thousand years ago, before the barrier came up. _"He could have borrowed a cup of sugar from Celestia, and he would have attacked just as happily if she shorted him one grain."_

Luna didn't know how much of what her brother said was true, how much of it was meant to comfort her, and how much was to justify Celestia's refusal to give her over to the rapacious wolven king, even if it meant war. She put those thoughts aside. She didn't come here to gauge whether Terrato's ponies liked her or not. She was here to find the bearers of the Elements of Harmony. It was nighttime when she had arrived in Bastion City. Though she had teleported out of her brother's fortress, she had only traveled three quarters of the distance to this place by magic. Long-range teleportation was exhausting, far more exhausting than flight. She wanted to conserve some of her strength in case she arrived at the city, only to find that the fighting had already begun. Though she didn't relish the thought of having her brother's hoof-prints on her face, she was ready to take part in the fighting if it was necessary.

"Do you need anything, your highness?" one of the guards asked. "We are here to serve."

It was hard to make anything out of such a neutral voice. Concern, respect, enthusiasm...even scorn or annoyance would have been comforting. It was as if they were reading from a script that her brother provided them. "Some rest," Luna replied. "Do you have some place I can stay?"

The guards bowed again. "Of course, your highness. A room has already been prepared for you." They led the way from the walls to what was easily the largest building in Bastion City. Passers-by gave Luna a curious look and nothing more as she went through the streets. She had to admire the discipline by which Terrato's ponies conducted themselves. There was much to do to prepare for the wolven. No time could be spared for gawking at anything, not even their prince's younger sister.

The room Luna was provided with was comfortable enough. It was spacious, with a large bed and a cozy fire by one side. The blankets were fur, something that she quickly decided not to think about. It was nowhere near the opulence of the Royal Palace, but she imagined that it was far better than the average room in this city. She took to the bed and closed her eyes. The plan was simple for now. Get some rest, then search for the bearers of the Elements of Harmony tomorrow.

Though Luna had been upset with her sister for banishing Twilight Sparkle and the others, she felt that she was at fault as well. She was the one who helped Twilight break the memory lock, setting off the chain of events that led to this point. She held on to the hope that they had somehow made it safely out of FangBreaker Fortress. The thought of finding out that they had died would be crushing.

* * *

><p>Twilight's eyebrows furrowed deeper as she concentrated on a page of her new spell book. There were a lot of reasons why she was having trouble with learning these spells. First of all, its format was far from the spell books she was used to. There was no table of contents nor an introduction. When she looked at the last pages, there was no bibliography as well.<p>

Behind her, a rustling from one of the beds told Twilight that somepony was waking up. She considered it a bad sign. She had woken up very early, though not enough to catch Vanguard and Scarlet waking up. She had done so to get a head start at studying this book. The extra time she had bought for herself had gone without much progress to show for it. She only grew more determined to study when she heard a yawn.

"Not this again," Spike muttered. He had enough forethought to keep his voice low to avoid waking the others.

"Don't worry, Spike," Twilight replied. "I got some sleep. I just woke up earlier to keep studying." She heard him sigh, which was followed by some more rustling as he searched through the room.

"First it was that coin, now it's that book," Spike said. "Every time Vanguard gives you something, you lose a ton of sleep."

"Both times, they're important enough," Twilight said. "I need to memorize at least one of these spells so I can show that I can be useful to the Legion." Her eyes narrowed. 'That's a good way to put it,' she thought. Learning spells sounded innocuous enough. She had been doing that all her life. The reality was that she was going to have to kill wolven if she was going to be useful to the Legion. The spells she were trying to memorize were all to that effect. Vanguard's words from yesterday had stung her, as had his doubt. She had realized that she may have spoken rashly about standing side-by-side with the Legion, but she was determined more than ever to prove her sincerity.

"So how are you doing with those spells?" Spike asked. "Knowing you, you should have one or two down pat by now."

"I thought that too, but it's a lot harder than I expected." To Twilight's relief, Spike didn't say anything else.

It had only taken a couple of pages before Twilight realized that Pyre Valor had not planned on writing down a spell book, or sharing this book with others. She had taken Vanguard's gift with the intention of writing whatever she wanted, whenever she wanted, and however she wanted. The result was a hodgepodge of notes, references, and spells that proved difficult to navigate. To make matters worse, some of the notes didn't even have anything to do with magic. Twilight started down one note thinking she had finally come across something she could do, only to find out that it was a recipe for brewed lichen tea. At the very last page was a crudely drawn caricature of, what she could only guess, was supposed to be an alicorn with its wings torn off. Fountains of blood gushed out of the stumps. "Celestia" was helpfully written underneath the drawing with an arrow pointing towards it.

There was also the handwriting. Twilight understood that this must have been written when Pyre Valor was younger. A lot younger. Just reading the words was a challenge in itself. Pyre Valor wrote with a lot of passion, which showed in the sharp, bold lines and wild loops. The quill often pressed down deeply enough to leave indentations on the other page. Splotches of ink and a few page tears were the consequences of such a style. She even found a broken quill tip between the pages.

Then, there were the spells themselves. It was through reading them that Twilight realized that, if she had a discussion on magic with Pyre Valor, the two of them would be at each other's throats in a minute. For her, casting spells meant control. Magic was a force to be carefully shaped, maintained, and applied. Whenever a spell went wild and caused unintended consequences, it was the fault of the spell caster. This was why each spell had to be studied and experimented with before being used.

From the notes and spells, she gathered that Pyre Valor believed differently. For Pyre Valor, magic was a dangerous and violent force to be unleashed, not applied. If a spell harmed unintended targets, it was their fault for getting in the way. There were very little notes on how to aim the spell or how much magic was to be used. The closest she could find were "wing it" and "as much as you want without blowing yourself up". Instead, Pyre Valor focused on how to quickly gather magical power and how to convert it to some other energy: fire as was always the case in this book.

All of those previous observations had come later. The very first thing that Twilight noticed about Pyre Valor's spells was that she really, really loved fire. The first three spells she had deciphered involved projecting a ray of heat to ignite combustible materials, causing a short jet of flame to burst from her outstretched hooves, and causing a steady "blade" of concentrated flame to emerge from her horn. There was also the fireball spell, whose devastating effect she had already witnessed. Pyre Valor's name should have been a dead giveaway, but it was the spell choice that really hammered the point in.

"Good morning," Spike said. Twilight looked behind her to find the rest of her friends waking up. None of them looked very comfortable and she couldn't blame them. The beds were rather hard, certainly not what they were used to back in the Heartland.

Rarity stretched out her back painfully and yawned. "Speak for yourself, dear," she said. "This morning is officially good once I find a bath, a comb, and a decent breakfast."

"I'm fine with finally getting something to do!" Rainbow Dash said. She wiped the crust from her eyes. "I can't stand any more waiting!"

"Speaking of waiting, somepony's decided not to wait for us," Applejack said. "Where's Vanguard and Scarlet?"

"Maybe they're off to get breakfast," Pinkie suggested.

"Did somepony mention Scarlet?" Scarlet Rabbit burst through the door with a bag full of loaves of bread tucked in one foreleg and a large canteen in the other. "Breakfast time!" he said. "Day-old bread, C-grade winter moss, and some hot lichen tea to wash it down with!"

Twilight noticed that he was wearing a different set of barding from before. Instead of plain, brown material, he was wearing a fine coat of chain with plates of metal distributed around his chest, flanks, and face.

Rarity didn't share in the enthusiasm when she received a loaf of the bread. The crust was already quite tough, although the moss baked into it helped it go down.

Rainbow Dash, on the other hoof, wolfed down her share. "So what do we get to do now, Scarlet?" she mumbled through her chewing.

"You're in luck," Scarlet replied. "Vanguard and I got news that Princess Luna just arrived last night! After eating, I'll take you to the public baths so you can fix yourselves up, then I'm going to escort you to the princess."

"What is she doing here?" Twilight asked. "Did you find out?"

"To check up on you chosen, I was told," Scarlet replied with a shrug. "You can ask her yourself as soon as you meet her."

"These baths…how are they?" Rarity asked. "Are they clean? Crowded? I certainly hope they provide soap and towels!"

"Well, they've got hot water," Scarlet answered. "It'll clean you without giving you frostbite."

Rarity sighed and tried to fix her completely bedraggled mane with her hooves. "I suppose we will make do," she said.

"Great! Finish up quickly so we can go," Scarlet said as he tore through a loaf of bread.

"So where's Vanguard?" Applejack asked. "Ain't he eating with us?"

The grin on Scarlet's face drooped a little. "Well…" He scratched his head with a hoof. "We were going back together, but we sort of ran into Flight Captain Tailwind along the way. I had to go on ahead since he was going to take some time."

Rainbow Dash finished her share of the tea with a single gulp. "Well I'm done," she said. "Let's get going!"

Everypony soon followed. They put their newly-bought cloaks and boots on and headed out.

* * *

><p>The public baths were not bad despite Rarity's worries. Along the way, Scarlet told them more about the job of keeping water hot in the bitter cold of the north was taken seriously by Bastion City's residents. Public baths were deemed more efficient than getting a constant supply of hot water going through each home so several were built over the course of the centuries. Each bathhouse consisted of two large pools, one for the stallions and another for the mares. Soap and towels were provided, but a small fee, which Scarlet took care of, had to be paid before getting in.<p>

The soak was a welcome sensation. They had just spent days exposed to the elements out in the wilderness, leaving them sticky with sweat and covered in dust. Twilight was relieved that the dried blood on her coat managed to wash off. Her injury had healed up well. Enough so that she could soak in hot water without opening it up.

"Oh, this is simply divine!" Rarity exclaimed. "It feels like forever since I last took a bath."

"I gotta admit that this ain't half bad," Applejack said. "Pinkie, stop that!" she told the pink pony who was swimming around, much to the annoyance of the other bathers. "This ain't a place for swimming!"

"I hope Spike is alright," Twilight said.

"He's with Scarlet, he'll be fine," Rainbow Dash said confidently.

As if to answer Twilight's question, raucous laughter echoed from over at the stallion pool. Scarlet's voice reached them despite the distance. "Do that trick again, Spike!" he exclaimed.

Twilight looked over to the stallion pool in time to see a jet of green flames appear followed by delighted cheering from the stallions.

See?" Rainbow Dash said with a grin.

After some time, they left the public bath with the owner seeing them off. "You can come here any time, dragon," the yellow-green pegasus stallion said. "I'll save a fortune on heating with that breath of yours! Let me know if you need a job!"

"I will!" Spike replie. A rather relieved smile crossed his face.

Having completed their soak, Scarlet led them through the streets of Bastion City. The same as yesterday, everypony was busy rushing about. Twilight noticed that her group drew more stares now. "I'm betting that those chosen are the reason Princess Luna is here," she heard one passer-by say.

"Maybe she's here to offer herself to King Fenrir so she could put a stop to the upcoming attack."

"Her nag sister won't allow that."

The nag comment grated on Twilight, but she steadfastly ignored it. 'These ponies are ignorant,' she told herself. 'They've never met Princess Celestia. Their anger over the division colors their judgments.'

Several minutes later, they were inside the largest building in Bastion City, as Scarlet happily explained. This building served several functions. The lower part was the Grand Meeting Hall, which gave the building its name. It was big enough to accommodate every pony in Bastion City. The upper parts served as the center of administration. The mayor and most of the officials had their offices and homes built there. As soon as Twilight and the others entered, Scarlet excused himself and stayed outside.

The Grand Meeting Hall was mostly empty so Twilight quickly noticed the dark-coated pony heading towards them. "Princess Luna!" she exclaimed.

When Luna saw that they were alive and well, she brightened as if a gigantic load just rose from her shoulders. She rushed over to them and was more than happy to give Twilight Sparkle a hug as soon as they came together. "I am so glad that all of you are safe!" she said. "I was afraid that none of you survived FangBreaker's fall!"

"We almost didn't," Twilight replied. "But we made it out safely thanks to the Legion."

"The Legion's ponies are brave and good," Luna said. "I knew I could rely on them. Now, let us get all of you to safety. The wolven will not stop with FangBreaker. They are surely heading here already."

Twilight stepped back and looked away. "We know that, your highness," she said. "We were planning on staying to help. I'm joining the Legion, you see. We all are."

Luna looked at them in surprise. "You want to…join the Legion?" she asked. "Do you really mean that?"

"I do," Twilight answered. "Even if the cost is great, I want to do this."

"You are very brave, Twilight Sparkle," Luna said. "But I already knew that the moment I heard that you confronted my sister about the division. I was so sure that you would submit yourself to another memory lock."

"This division must end," Twilight said. "I couldn't turn away."

"At least one pony shares my beliefs."

"Make that six, your highness," Twilight said. She smiled and looked to her friends. "Six ponies and a dragon."

"I won't stop you," Luna said. "I also came here to help. But you must prepare yourselves carefully. The wolven are ruthless and depraved. Surely, you've seen this for yourselves when they took the fort?"

"We have," Twilight replied. "About that, your highness…"

Luna raised an eyebrow. "Yes?"

"Our magic has been weakened here. Do you know how we can adjust to Prince Terrato's realm?"

Luna nodded. "I've noticed that," she said. "My sister's barrier has caused a division in Equestria's magic as well. The magical drift here is enough to affect unicorns originating from the Heartland."

"Can something be done about it?" Twilight asked.

"My brother would know. I can contact him right now. You will need his permission if you're going to join the Legion anyway."

Luna concentrated and her horn began to glow with magic. Twilight assumed that the magical drift did not affect the princess as alicorn magic lay beyond that of mortal ponies. As magic coalesced in the room, the image of Prince Terrato appeared at the center of the hall. At once, Twilight and her friends fell to their knees. Even as a mere magical projection, Prince Terrato was an imposing sight. His fiery mane seemed to blaze even fiercer than the last time she remembered.

"Well, well," Terrato said. "My little sister was true to her word. She was quite quick about it too. Good work there, Luna."

"Thank you, big brother," Luna replied.

Terrato turned his attention on Twilight. The entire hall seemed to darken and his voice was accompanied by a distant rumble of the earth shaking. "I've spent centuries trying to prevent that face you left on my sister back in the Heartland, Twilight Sparkle," he boomed. "I've got a good mind to put your head between my hooves and squeeze until it pops like the grape you resemble!"

Twilight shook uncontrollably. This was nothing like her first meeting with the prince. Behind her, her friends were experiencing the same terror. She looked to Princess Luna, who was already standing between her and Prince Terrato's image.

"Surely, you can't blame that on Twilight Sparkle!" Luna said.

"Of course I can," Terrato said. "But there's no point to it. I'm not going to do that because that would only make Celestia feel worse. So go with my little sister. Bring your friends too. All of you can stay here in the Gray Sentinel until you go back to the Heartland, no longer matter to Celestia, or die of old age."

Twilight forced her legs to stop shaking and raised her head. What she had feared was happening. She was being given preferential treatment instead of being allowed to take part in defending Equestria. "Your highness, wait!" she pleaded. "I don't want to spend my time here in the Barrier Lands hiding somewhere safe!"

"Is that defiance I'm hearing?" Terrato asked with a glare. "You thwarted Luna's rebellion, refused to go along with Celestia's division, now, you're defying me? Do you have a problem with alicorns, Twilight Sparkle?"

"N-no, your highness," Twilight said. "All I want is to stand with the Legion against Equestria's enemies. We're here to join up."

"The Legion?" Terrato looked perplexed. "You mean the Equestrian Legion? You want to risk your lives by fighting against Equestria's enemies and you want to do it in the place where the fighting will be at its thickest?"

"Yes, your highness."

"And what will I tell Celestia if you're killed? Should I shrug and say 'I tried'?"

"Big brother, Twilight Sparkle and her friends are not big sister's property," Luna said. "In the end, they should be allowed to decide for themselves where to go."

Terrato didn't speak for some time. The ominous silence that filled the room was suffocating for Twilight and her friends. "I suppose shrugging and saying 'I tried' isn't such a bad plan," he finally said. "You have brought this upon yourselves. My sisters and I have given you every way out there is and you've persisted. I will respect that decision and Celestia will have to do the same. Stay there if you want, Twilight Sparkle. Do try to be useful legionnaires."

Twilight sighed with relief, an expression that her friends echoed behind her.

"Big brother, their magic is still suppressed by the magical drift between your realm and big sister's." Luna said. "Isn't there something you can do?"

"Yes, there is a ritual for it. You can perform it yourself, Luna, just extend your hooves over them and repeat after me."

With a nod, Luna did as her brother asked.

"Toora," Terrato said.

"Toora," Luna repeated.

"Loora."

"Loora."

"Lay."

"Lay."

"Now, turn around with your front hooves extended," Terrato said.

Luna did as she was told.

"By moving your rump, spell out the names of the unicorns who have to adjust."

"What?"

"Do it now or you'll have to start over."

With a confused look on her face, Luna did as instructed. "Twilight Sparkle" was first, followed by "Rarity".

Twilight waited patiently for the ritual to end. When she saw how silly Princess Luna looked, she averted her eyes to keep from laughing. The princess was doing this for her. It was beyond disrespectful to laugh now. She waited for some time, expecting some kind of great magical effect. There was no flash of light or an aura of crackling energy, only a tense silence. A great booming laugh from Terrato shattered that silence. The rest of Twilight's friends could only look at each other awkwardly.

"I can't believe you actually did that!" Terrato said between guffaws.

Luna put her hooves down and stared angrily at the image. "Big brother!" she exclaimed. "I'm serious!"

"Oh, you just wish there was some magic ritual you could perform would you?" Terrato asked once he settled down. "Unfortunately, there isn't. Their magic will adjust by themselves as they spend more time in my realm." His turned his attention towards Twilight. "Good luck with recruitment, all of you. I will be there soon." With that, his image dissipated.

"Honestly!" Luna huffed. "Joking around in the middle of a crisis!"

Twilight suppressed a smile for the princess's sake. "I'm glad he let us stay," she said.

Luna smiled in return. "I'm glad too. Let us see this to the end, Twilight Sparkle."

The rest of them looked at each other. It was official now, they were joining the Equestrian Legion.


	19. Standing Together

**Upheaval: Breaking Point**

**Chapter 19: Standing Together**

_"Let's hurry back," Vanguard said. "They should be awake and hungry by now. Do you have enough for them, Scarlet?"_

_"Sure thing, Captain," Scarlet Rabbit replied. "I even brought some for that dragon. I don't know if his kind likes bread and moss, though."_

_"Vanguard Clash!"_

_The two of them looked up at where the angry voice came from. Before Vanguard could get a good look, something heavy crashed on him, knocking him on his belly with his legs spread apart. His breath blew out of his lungs at the impact. He recognized the feel of four hooves stepping on him. From the voice and the entrance, he guessed with a sinking heart as to who it was._

_"Good morning, Flight Captain Tailwind!" Scarlet said._

_"Good morning to you too, Scarlet Rabbit," Tailwind answered. "Move along now, I have some talking to do with my stupid son."_

_Vanguard looked up at Scarlet and nodded. In a blink, the pegasus flew ahead. With Scarlet gone, he focused his attention on his mother. Before he could say anything, he felt her lift him up by the shoulders, then bang his snout against the pavement. The impact did no damage, but he did feel his head ring._

_"You come back from the dead days ago and you can't even be bothered to tell me?"_

_"I was assigned a mission as soon as I-!"_

_Vanguard's snout hit the pavement again._

_"You owe me twelve dead wolven, you rotten colt! I went on a rampage because I thought you were dead! Your father nearly got himself killed!"_

Vanguard was still rubbing his snout as he walked towards the building where Twilight and the others were staying. Tailwind had decided to accompany him after finding out that two of the chosen were pegasi.

They were a still a good distance from the building when he spotted the chosen. They were near the end of a line of ponies while Scarlet hovered nearby. He looked towards the other end of the line to find that Logistics had set up a recruiting station. A call to arms must have already been issued across Bastion City and citizens were lining up to join Equestria's defense.

* * *

><p>The long line would normally have been a bother to Twilight Sparkle. This time, she was glad for it. Being made to stand in line showed that there would be no more being separated from the rest of the Legion because she was Princess Celestia's student. Now, she could really show that she meant what she said about standing together with Equestria's defenders.<p>

As the line moved on, she noticed a familiar, black-barded figure walking towards her. It was easy to spot Vanguard Clash. There was nopony else who had his armor or that enormous weapon he kept strapped to his back. He was walking with somepony this time, a pegasus mare who was about an inch shorter than he was, with a light-blue, almost white coat. Her mane was gray, like the underside of a storm cloud, cut short and swept to one side. A long, thin scar ran along the right side of her jaw. Like Scarlet Rabbit, she wore a coat of chain reinforced with metal plates around her chest, flanks, and neck. Unlike Scarlet's gray plates, however, this pony's barding carried a distinct silvery sheen. She also wore no champron. A stylized wing was embossed in gold on the left part of her chest plate.

"You took your time," Twilight said to Vanguard.

Vanguard glanced briefly to the pegasus next to him as an answer. "Everypony, this is Flight Captain Tailwind. Flight Captain, these are the chosen I was talking to you about."

Tailwind approached Twilight's group, carefully inspecting them with bright blue eyes. She was immediately drawn to Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy. "I never imagined that I would actually meet Celestia's chosen in my lifetime," she said. "I hear that you plan to join the Legion. That's commendable." She stopped, and gave Rainbow Dash a good, hard look. "Is this the one you mentioned?" Vanguard nodded. Tailwind stretched out one of Rainbow's wings with her hooves. "Looks promising," she said. "Is she fast?"

"Almost as fast as Scarlet," Vanguard answered. Tailwind nodded approvingly. Rainbow was about the raise her head proudly, but she stopped midway. Her eyes widened, then her gaze immediately landed on Scarlet Rabbit, who was still hovering nearby.

The sight of this put a small smile on Tailwind's lips. She looked towards Fluttershy. "And what about this one?" she asked.

Vanguard shook his head. "Redbrand has that one pegged for Medical already."

"That foal of a nag!" Tailwind muttered. "When did he get to reserve recruits for himself? Fine." She looked at Rainbow, who was taken a little aback by the intense stare. "I'll see you in Reconnaissance. Now, I have to go. The other flight captains will have started arguing over recruit placement. I don't intend on finishing this day with less than a full flight."

With that, Tailwind walked off. She patted Vanguard on the shoulder as she passed him. "Stay safe, son," she said. "I might not survive the next time I hear you're dead."

"She seems…interesting," Twilight said once Tailwind had left.

"I heard her call you 'son'," Applejack said. "Was that your ma?"

"Yes," Vanguard answered. His lips twisted a little. "She wasn't very happy that I put off seeing her until we got here, but she was more reasonable about it than I expected."

"She sounds like a nice lady," Applejack said with a grin.

Vanguard snorted. "Try telling that to her flight. Move along, the line's adjusting."

The line eventually dwindled until it was their turn to face the recruiting officer. The olive-coated stallion took a sip from the cup of tea on his table. At the sight of Twilight's group, he nearly gagged. "What's this?" he spluttered. "When did we start drafting chosen?"

"They're recruits," Vanguard said. "Ignore the marks on their flanks. They'll serve just like everypony else."

The recruiting officer glanced skeptically at Vanguard, then shrugged. He offered the quill to Twilight and pointed to a piece of parchment on the table. "Names and signatures here," he said. He stared intently at Twilight when she held the quill. "By signing on, you hereby pledge your complete loyalty to the Equestrian Legion. That you will obey its officers and acknowledge their authority as extensions of the authority of Prince Terrato, rightful ruler of the Barrier Lands. Know that there is no leaving the Legion. Even after retirement from active duty, you will be expected to serve if called upon. If you attempt to leave once you have joined, you will be tried for treason. Do you understand?"

The words only served to highlight the finality of the path Twilight had chosen. Her eyes narrowed and she kept her grip on the quill steady. It was only after she had signed her name on the parchment did she realize that her heart was pounding. She stepped back to steady herself while her friends followed suit.

"Unicorns go to Magical, pegasi to Reconnaissance, earth ponies to Infantry," the officer said. "Check in with your respective officers behind me once you're done here," Before he could continue, his gaze fell on Rainbow Dash whereupon his eyes widened. He checked his cup and shook it a little, sloshing the liquid around. "Terrato's torn wing, what's in this tea?"

"Um…excuse me," Fluttershy said after signing her name.

The recruiting officer raised an eyebrow. "What's the matter, filly?" he asked. "You've barely got a hoof past the door and you've got something to complain about already?"

"Oh no," Fluttershy replied. "I wouldn't do that. It's just that Doctor Redbrand said that, if you put me in Reconnaissance instead of Medical, he would saw your muzzle off. That sounds pretty painful."

"What?" the recruiting officer asked. "But I just sent him a squad's worth of recruits! What did you do to catch his eye? Show him a little flank?"

Fluttershy paused and looked at her flank. "Well, he did notice my cutie mark."

The recruiting officer put a hoof to his face. "That stallion's old enough to be your father! Alright, I'll have you go to Medical instead. Let Redbrand duke it out with the Wing Commander."

With that out of the way, they all proceeded to the crowded area behind the recruiting officer. Recruitment was taking place on an enormous plaza at the center of the city: a parading ground now converted for training. It was there that they had to separate.

* * *

><p>Twilight and Rarity quickly noticed that Magical was the smallest group in the plaza, consisting of a small cluster of unicorns. It also occurred to them that they had barely seen any unicorns in the city.<p>

They were given mage-coats, thick layers of cloth padded with leather inside to help against enemy fangs, claws, and bolts. Although it horrified them to find out that the leather was taken from actual animal hide instead of being magically synthesized like back in the Heartland, they stayed silent about it.

Once they had put their coats on, they were ordered to line up: three rows with seven ponies each, tallest to shortest from left to right, and each pony a leg's length from each other. When the unicorns, most of who were about as old as or even younger than Twilight, took some time to get into the required position, the unicorn officer shouted at them.

"What's the matter with you drill-heads? We haven't even gotten to spell casting yet, and you're already fumbling about! Three rows, seven ponies! Move! Move! Move!" All the unicorn recruits scrambled, comparing heights, and stretching out legs to make sure they were properly spaced. The unicorn officer walked out in front of them. He was a strange sight for a pony, a grayish-white unicorn with a completely shaved mane. His tail was nothing more than tuft of green hair just a few inches long. Like them, he wore a thick, leather-padded coat. Unlike them, his was trimmed with gold thread and a stylized horn marked the left side of his chest. "Twenty-one unicorns," he said. "We're faced with the greatest wolven attack in centuries and my beloved Bastion City comes up with twenty-one unicorns. Nineteen seeing as two of you are chosen."

Twilight and Rarity winced when they felt the eyes of their fellow recruits go towards them.

"Eyes forward, you sacks of manure!" the officer shouted. "Nopony told you to ogle them! Don't make me be the first to send recruits to the whipping post!"

Every unicorn in the group flinched and looked straight ahead.

"Now, let's get down to business. I am Mage Captain Owlsight, not that it would matter to you drill-heads as I will kick your flanks if you address me with anything but "sir". Before we do anything, we will test you for two things: magical sustaining and magical burst. These two traits will help us determine if you belong to the spell fire line or with the arcane shields. Bring out the target dummies, Vice-captain!"

A unicorn behind the group trotted forward carrying several dummies made from two intersecting poles and a sack stuffed with straw. He went to the patch of earth by one side of the plaza and stood them up before going back to his place.

"First, we'll test you for magical burst," Owlsight continued. "Each of you will step forward and cast, preferably, an attack spell you know. If you don't know any, a telekinetic kick will suffice. Now, let's get started!"

The first recruit stepped forward and cast his spell. His horn glowed a steady green as he projected a blob of telekinesis that hurtled towards the dummy. The spell struck, causing the wood to shake as if it had been kicked hard. Seeing the results, he smiled before returning to his place. Mage Captain Owlsight looked on, nodded, then scribbled on a notebook he carried.

Several recruits followed, most using the same telekinetic blow to give the dummy a good shake with each hit. One recruit managed to snap the dummy's support. He grinned at this and was about to rear triumphantly when a glare from Owlsight sent him slinking back to his post. "Not bad," Owlsight said. "It's your turn, purple chosen, show us what you've got."

Twilight Sparkle swallowed a large lump in her throat as she stepped up. She wanted to cast a telekinetic kick just as everypony had, but she remembered that Mage Captain Owlsight preferred an offensive spell she knew. She thought back to Pyre Valor's notes. She had studied them a good deal and she was confident that she had learned one: Burning Hooves. She stood about ten feet away from the dummy and made sure she faced away from anypony before beginning the spell. She had never worked with fire before, beyond lighting candles anyway. It wasn't just because there had never been a situation that she could only solve with a generous dose of burning. Fire was a difficult element to control. It harmed others far too easily and spread quickly at the slightest mistake. Now, she was going to have to try it. She could feel the tips of her hooves grow hot as she gathered the magic. As soon as she felt that heat, she felt the urge to immediately regulate the energy to make sure that it didn't hurt anyone. She squashed that urge, however. Her usual methods of control would cause this spell to fizzle. Direction was the proper way of controlling Pyre Valor's spells, direction and an instinctive use of the right amount of magic. She aimed her hooves at the dummy and let go.

Twin jets of flame burst from Twilight's hooves. They traveled only for a short distance, barely licking the dummy. That was enough to light it on fire, sending thick clouds of smoke rising upwards for the other recruits to gawk at.

"Impressive," Owlsight said as Twilight walked back to her place. "So the first pony to show a spell we can use against the wolven is somepony not even from here. Even I'm embarrassed. Next!"

Nervous, Rarity stepped forward. "I suppose a spell that gives one a fabulous hairdo won't suffice?" she asked.

Owlsight didn't even look up from the notes he was scribbling. "One more wisecrack, recruit, and I will saw your horn off and chuck you over to Infantry," he said. "They're not connoisseurs of erudite witticisms over there like I am."

Twilight looked on worriedly. It wasn't that her friend was a complete failure at magic, but Rarity had always used her spells mostly for dress-making and gem-finding. She certainly hadn't studied and developed it as Twilight had. There was also the magical drift to consider. She could see the effort show on Rarity's face who had opted for a telekinetic kick.

The target dummy vibrated slightly, shaking a single strand of straw out of the stuffing.

Owlsight continued scribbling his notes down as Rarity slinked back to her position with her head down. Some of the recruits looked ready to laugh. One of them went so far as to let out a snicker at the dismal performance. Owlsight immediately raised his head to the entire group's surprise. "So you think that's funny, recruit?" he shouted. "You think it's hilarious finding out that we're even more short-hoofed than anticipated with the wolven on the way? Vice-captain, give that joker his first five lashes!"

The vice-captain pulled the horrified stallion out of the line and led him off. The rest of the group was completely stone-faced by the time he was out of sight.

"Let's get on with the Magical Sustainability test," Owlsight said.

The second test involved only their telekinesis this time. Several weights were brought out. They were asked to pick one they could lift without struggling, then told to hold it until ordered to stop.

Twilight did well with a weight slightly above the average chosen by the other recruits, but the Burning Hooves spell she had cast had taken more magic than she had anticipated so she was sweating with effort by the time she was ordered to put it down.

Rarity could only lift the lightest weight, but she held it reasonably well before being told to put it down. Nopony made a fuss about it this time. For the rest of the day, they were drilled in maintaining and moving in formation and casting spells simultaneously. They were also taught the order by which wolven were to be killed starting from high-ranking ones to the lowest grunts.

The sun was setting when they were dismissed. Each one of them completely exhausted physically and mentally. Rarity was all but dragging herself towards the building they were staying in while Twilight walked by her side. Owlsight's voice stopped both of them.

"Come over here, recruits!" Owlsight called.

Twilight and Rarity did so. The sight of the pony who had laughed limping back to his position had burned a simple rule into their minds: do not anger Mage Captain Owlsight. "Yes, sir?" Rarity asked.

"I don't know what I'm going to do with you, Recruit Rarity." Owlsight said. "You're like a giant water tank with only a pinhole for an opening. Your burst is completely useless, but you have decent sustainability. Normally, we'd work on that until we made something out of you, but these aren't normal times. If I put you out there in time for the wolven attack, you'll get yourself killed. Worse, you'll probably drag somepony to the grave with you."

Rarity stared at the ground at this. Twilight opened her mouth to protest, but she closed her mouth just as quickly. As disloyal as it seemed not to stand up for her friend, she couldn't find the nerve to go against Mage Captain Owlsight on this.

"What was your profession before signing up?" Owlsight asked.

"I…I was a dressmaker," Rarity said.

"Useful enough profession. I'm going to arrange for you to transfer to Maintenance Division over at Logistics. Use your sewing skill to patch up ripped clothes, leather armor, and tents. Report to Logistics Officer Frostmane tomorrow morning."

"Yes, sir," Rarity said.

After that, the two unicorns headed back for the day.

* * *

><p>Applejack tapped the pavement with her hoof as she inspected her new gear. Both she and Pinkie Pie had been given a set of medium barding as soon as they signed up with Infantry. Right now, she was wearing a heavy suit of chain, with thick plates of metal covering most of her face, neck, chest, and flanks. It was similar to Scarlet Rabbit's, but with more solid plates. Pegasi had to wear lighter barding to stay aloft. She was expecting some cloth to cover her legs like the one that Vanguard wore: Capricorn…capris…whatever that long-tailed word was, and was a little disappointed when she didn't get one. She guessed that only high-ranking officers got to wear them. None of the officers seemed to mind when she wore her hat on top of the headpiece. In addition to the barding, she was also given a set of tramplers: metal shoes that made her legs feel a little stiff.<p>

_"You could have taken his head off if you were wearing tramplers."_

She now understood what Vanguard had meant by those words. These things were heavy and hard. Having one fall on you would hurt quite badly. Having one smashed into you by a strong pony…bones would shatter for sure. The name "tramplers" was appropriate enough. She almost felt sorry for any wolven caught underneath these. The weight around her body was going to take some getting used to. She expected to wake up stiff in the morning.

Applejack knew that, as hard as this suit was for her, it must be worse for Pinkie Pie. As she had feared, she found her friend having trouble just taking a few steps forward. Pinkie had been enthusiastic about getting a set of barding and tramplers. Even though she was a little disappointed that she couldn't choose the color, she was still all smiles when she began putting them on. The weight swiftly crushed that enthusiasm as surely as it was slowly crushing her.

"That's enough admiring yourselves, fillies!" one of the Infantry officers called out. "Fall in!"

Infantry's recruits made up the largest group of ponies at the plaza at the end of recruitment. They were organized into three separate groups with thirty five ponies each. The first day of training's objective was simple: get used to your barding. They were taught basic formations, then made to walk, trot, turn, and stop, without breaking them.

It was only a matter of time before Pinkie collapsed completely while trotting. She was panting and sweating heavily.

"Get up, filly," their officer said. He didn't shout like the other officers, but he had a stern tone and a frighteningly uncaring way of talking. "How can you possibly defeat a wolven if an inanimate suit of metal gets the better of you? Get up!"

Pinkie tried to get to her hooves, but her knees wouldn't follow through. After a second attempt failed, the officer motioned for Applejack and another recruit to come forward and get her up. They helped her to the side and took off the barding.

"Get back to your positions, you two," the officer said.

The day finished with Pinkie remaining sidelined. Although completely exhausted herself, Applejack walked over to her. One of the other recruits, a young stallion with a light brown coat and a short, spiky mane of a darker brown named Twocolt, walked with her. He was the other recruit who had been called to help Pinkie earlier and he was also the pony immediately to Applejack's left while in formation. Earlier, Applejack had asked about his name to which he replied "My parents have no imagination. I was their second colt." They found Pinkie looking completely deflated when she heard that they were to report back in the next morning.

"Maybe Infantry ain't the place for you, Pinkie," Applejack said. "There has to be a group that doesn't need to wear all this metal."

"They'd find a use for her in Logistics," Twocolt said.

"Logis-what?" Applejack asked. "What do they do?"

"Lots of stuff. If it's got something to do with food, equipment, transportation, and recruitment, Logistics deals with it."

"Well, there you go," Applejack said. "Sounds like something you can do, Pinkie!"

The suggestion brightened Pinkie up. "Yeah!" she said. "I'm pretty good with food! Especially if they don't make me wear this suit while making it!"

"Are you sure?" Twocolt asked. "The Legion can't run without Logistics, but it's not a glory role. Your brothers and sisters set out to win the day while you hang by the rear lines peeling potatoes."

"It takes all kinds to make the Legion," Applejack said. "You said it yourself." She looked back at Pinkie. "Let's get some rest. Let's see if we can talk our officer to putting you there."

"He's probably considering it already," Twocolt said.

* * *

><p>The recruits for Medical didn't have a place in Bastion City's plaza. They were too few in number and didn't need that large a space anyway. Instead, Fluttershy was ushered into one of the nearby buildings.<p>

Inside, Doctor Redbrand and two assistants were standing over several recruits. Even at a distance, Fluttershy noticed the scowl on Redbrand's face and the veins pulsing on his forehead. He also noticed her and immediately shouted. "Fluttershy! About time you showed up! Get your bug-marked flank over here and help out!" He looked towards the recruits, who were clearly cowed by his yelling. "These idiots can't even do a proper sling! I've got half a mind to break their forelegs and let them figure it out!"

Fluttershy rushed over out of concern for two things: to make sure that Redbrand didn't shout himself hoarse, and to make sure that he didn't really break the forelegs of his new recruits. Despite being a new recruit herself, she was soon playing more the role of teacher instead of student, helping the other recruits master different medical techniques before Redbrand lost his patience. The doctor meant well and he taught clearly and precisely. He also expected great results and resorted to violent threats when his students fumbled. Nevertheless, Fluttershy felt that he would only remotely consider carrying out those threats when things got very bad indeed.

She remembered Angel. The rabbit was also often grumpy, but he always meant well. The thought saddened her. How was Angel doing now? Was he still living in her home? Had he moved on? Perhaps he had started living with another pony. She wasn't quite sure how to feel about that. She also wondered if he resented her for disappearing, or if he was now glad he didn't have to fuss over somepony.

"Stop staring into space and help that recruit over there, Fluttershy," Redbrand growled. "He's about to strangle himself with that roll of bandages!"

Fluttershy flew over to the poor recruit and helped him untangle himself. She smiled a little. The thought of comparing little Angel to the tall and gruff Redbrand did seem kind of silly. She decided to concentrate on helping out for the sake of the recruits.

It didn't take long for the day to wear down. With the recruits all heading out for the day, Fluttershy decided to stay a little longer to help clean up.

"Fluttershy," Redbrand said gruffly. She turned towards him in response. "Good job for today." He opened the flask he seemed to carry with him at all times and took a short pull. "Here. Welcome to Medical." He offered the flask to her. She took it gingerly and sniffed at its contents. Whatever was inside smelled quite strong. She looked at Redbrand, who was waiting patiently, and decided that refusing would be rude. She took a quick sip, then gagged. The liquid inside was incredibly strong. It ran down her throat like liquid fire after she forced herself to swallow. Coughing, she handed the flask back to Redbrand. "Filly." His tone took on a mock scorn. He put the flask's cap back on and put it away. "See you in the morning, Fluttershy."

Still choking and her head spinning slightly, Fluttershy did her best to nod and smile before heading back to the building she was staying in.

* * *

><p>While the other pony recruits trained on the plaza, the pegasi of Reconnaissance trained high above it. Up in the air, Rainbow Dash tried out the new leather outfit that she had been provided. Flying with the added weight was certainly a new experience. She had flown while carrying heavy objects before, even other ponies, but having the weight distributed all around her was different. It had actually taken her a few minutes of adjusting to make sure that the new barding didn't chafe around her wings.<p>

In addition to her new barding, Rainbow had also been provided with a few more things: a map of the Barrier Lands in general, a map of the Northern Barrier Land, and one of Bastion City and its surrounding areas. "Familiarize yourself with these areas, chosen," the Reconnaissance officer had told her. "The rest of your fellows know them by heart for having lived here, but you don't. You're excused from target practice today so you can explore before the wolven arrive."

Then there was the crossbow.

Rainbow held the weapon as if she were holding a sleeping snake. She had never held a weapon before, except for Vanguard's two-bladed sword. This was certainly the first time she would actually own one. In addition to the crossbow, she also had a case of bolts strapped to her left side. She took aim, bringing the sight to her eye like the officer had shown her, and scanned her surroundings. She imagined a wolven lurking down below, stalking one of her friends with its cruel fangs bared and ready to kill. She would swoop in at the nick of time, take aim, and fire in a split second. Just as the wolven would jump in for the kill…

…the bolt would catch it right between the ribs, and plunge into a lung. The force of the impact would knock it the ground, where it would lay feebly on its side while wheezing and gurgling its life away.

Rainbow Dash shook her head, cursing her ridiculously vivid imagination, and for reminding herself of what she would have to do. 'I had to shoot!' she argued mentally. To herself, she realized in dismay. This was hardly any better than arguing with a pile of rocks with a birthday hat. 'It was going after my friend!'

"Nice!" somepony from behind her said. "They gave you a Quarrelmark Two light crossbow. Enjoying the feel of it?"

Rainbow turned towards the voice. "Aren't you supposed to be on duty or something, Scarlet?" she asked.

"I am on duty," Scarlet Rabbit replied with a grin. "Special Operations, remember? Standing around doing nothing is not the weirdest thing we've had to do."

"Sounds like an easy job."

"Only if you make the cut. Shouldn't you be at the firing range?"

"I was told to explore some of these places." Rainbow pointed to her maps. "I was just about to go."

"I'll come along. Gotta make sure you don't get lost!"

Rainbow's eyes narrowed as she observed Scarlet. She hadn't forgotten what Vanguard Clash had said just this morning.

_"Almost as fast as Scarlet."_

Vanguard wasn't an idiot. He certainly wasn't blind either. He knew what he was saying and who he was saying it in front of. "Almost." That was a bald-faced challenge and Rainbow certainly wasn't going to take it lying down. "Alright, how about we go to this place?" she suggested. She pointed at her map of Bastion City's surroundings.

"Frostrock Needle?" Scarlet asked.

Rainbow had already heard some information about that spot from the other recruits. The Needle, as it was often simply called, was a peculiar formation of rocks a couple of miles to the north of Bastion City that resembled a needle jutting upwards. The story went that the needle rose up when Prince Terrato stomped his hoof on the ground to stab King Fenrir from beneath.

"Good choice," Scarlet said. "Check out the northern areas first since that's where the wolven will be coming from."

"How about we race there?" Rainbow asked.

"Whoa there," Scarlet replied. "Why race?"

"Why not? I heard you're fast."

"You heard right, but the Captain doesn't like me racing. He says it's bad for morale."

"And why's that?"

"Well, the ponies I beat tend to think they're slow when I leave them behind. I even drove one to drink. Next thing I knew, she was getting twenty lashes for showing up for duty while drunk."

"You're making me want to race you even more!"

"Oh, alright," Scarlet said. "Just promise me you won't start crying if you lose."

"Oh, you'll be the one crying once I leave you behind!" Rainbow said. "Let's start!"

From where they were hovering, they could already see the silhouette of Frostrock Needle. Scarlet showed Rainbow how to attach the crossbow to her harness, then hovered next to her. He readied himself for a quick flying start. "Alright, on three," he said. "One…two…three!"

The two of them sped off at the same time, leaving behind twin trails: one of prismatic colors and the other of bright red. To her surprise, Rainbow found herself neck and neck against Scarlet. 'He is fast,' she thought. She was flapping her wings as hard as she could, yet the distance between the two of them didn't change. On his part, Scarlet wasn't even looking at her.

As the needle came closer, Rainbow began to feel the burn of exertion in her wings. She grit her teeth and flapped even harder. The onrushing wind began to send her lips flapping. Scarlet remained at her side, his face split into a wide grin. He was enjoying this. She was straining herself just to lose him and he looked like he was having the time of his life. The needle was a mile away when Rainbow gave it everything she got in one final burst. Finally, she noticed herself pulling slightly away from Scarlet. She looked ahead in time to realize that she had to slow down or slam into the rocks.

With her wings flapping backward, Rainbow forced herself to decelerate, her hooves flailing wildly in her attempt. She slowed down enough to strike the rocks with her hooves without shattering her legs. She looked to her side in time to see Scarlet touch the rocks just a split second after her.

"Hah!" she cried out between pants. "I won! I beat you!"

Scarlet Rabbit was panting too. "Yeah, you did!" he said with a grin. "I can't believe somepony could actually beat me!"

Rainbow did a little victory dance in the air. She did it! She showed that Vanguard and his mother! Her wings were on fire and she was panting as if air was going to go out of style after a few minutes, but she did it!

Scarlet flew over and offered a hoof in congratulations. With a smirk, she took it and shook vigorously. The motion caused Scarlet's barding to jingle slightly.

The sound immediately wiped the smirk off Rainbow's face. "Hey, Scarlet, how heavy is that barding you're wearing?" she asked.

"Oh, this?" Scarlet asked. "It's called light barding, so it's light."

"Let me try it on!"

"I'm not switching barding with you out here!" Scarlet protested.

Rainbow hovered up close and lifted up the metal plate that protected Scarlet's chest. Light her tail, the plate alone likely weighed half as much as her leathers. Scarlet just raced her wearing a plate-reinforced suit of chain barding. "Who told you to turn this into some handicap match?" she asked.

"What are you talking about?" Scarlet asked. "Did you think I was going to take off my barding and leave it somewhere while we raced?"

"Well…yeah!"

Scarlet laughed briefly. "That's crazy!" he said. "This thing cost a lot, you know. I leave it somewhere for a few minutes, and I'll end up flying naked for the rest of my missions!"

"This race doesn't count," Rainbow said through grit teeth. "Someday, we'll race on even terms!"

"Okay, okay," Scarlet said with his hooves raised in front of him. "We'll race some other time and-!" He stopped and stared at what was behind Rainbow. Curious, she looked towards that direction as well. "Time to head back!" he said.

To the north, just at the edge of the horizon, they could already see a steadily advancing mass of dark colors. The wolven were on the move once more. Even Rainbow could tell that they would be by the city's gates soon. Ignoring the burning in her wings, she followed Scarlet back to the city.


	20. Special Operations

**Upheaval: Breaking Point**

**Chapter 20: Special Operations**

"We've just gotten reports that the wolven are already closing in on the city!"

"Preparations are still underway. Terrato's bloody hooves, we won't be ready on time!"

"The draft's turned out only half of expected numbers. We need those reinforcements soon!"

From his seat, Commander Dreadstep listened as his subordinates piled one problem after another, each one convinced that their problem was the worst of the lot, thus demanding immediate attention. He had his eyes closed and his forelegs crossed, but everypony in the room knew that he was listening to every detail. He had been beset with problems the moment he stepped foot into Bastion City. That wasn't even counting the problems he was already carrying with him.

The city had become complacent during the past few years. He should have recognized it when the number of enlistments began to dwindle and when supply quotas missed an item or two. To his shame, he admitted that it had been possible for the city to be complacent because he was too. They had depended too much on FangBreaker and its centuries of impregnability, as if history could protect them instead of vigilance. They had underestimated Wolvengard, thinking that the wolven would be satisfied with raising an army once in a while to inflict casualties. Worst of all, they had underestimated the dissension within the Legion itself.

"Commander, what of this group of saboteurs mentioned in some of the reports?" Logistics Officer Frostmane asked. "In addition to our gates falling from the inside, we've discovered that a lot of the supplies in FangBreaker had been ruined!"

Dreadstep nodded to acknowledge the question. "I've had Special Operations working on it since we started retreating," he answered. "Results should be forthcoming." He didn't add that the pony likely responsible for destroying the gates, Pyre Valor, was a member of Special Operations. There was no need to play up everypony's paranoia and have them at each other's throats before the wolven even got here. He looked out the window of his office. Vanguard Clash had slipped in his vigilance as well. How else could he not have noticed his vice-captain's building betrayal? 'At a time when we were all slipping, disaster strikes,' he thought. 'The Legion will be made to pay for this dishonor, especially me.' His eyes narrowed. There will be time for punishments once the crisis has passed. Right now, it was time to make up for the lack of vigilance, and they were starting with the ponies who dared to side against their kin.

* * *

><p>The end of their first day as legionnaires brought both a sense of relief and accomplishment, as well a sense of apprehension for Twilight and her friends. They had done well so far. Most of them anyway. Twilight had immediately returned to studying Pyre Valor's old spells. It was a little disheartening for her that she was improving by learning spells that had been discarded by another unicorn as basic material. Still, she had to start somewhere. She looked around to see how the others were doing.<p>

Spike had spent the day roaming Bastion City while trying to keep from being caught underhoof. He happily told of how the city found a use for him wherever he went. It had started with the public baths, but he was just as welcome in the foundries, the kitchens, and the smithies. Twilight was surprised a bit, but she remembered that she was in the northernmost city in all of Equestria. Here, fire was a valuable commodity.

Rarity had gone to bed early, much to Twilight's concern. She wished that she hadn't used that Burning Hooves spell, and had stuck to a powered down telekinetic kick. Her attempt at pleasing Mage Captain Owlsight made her friend look twice as bad. It wasn't even within Rarity's control that the tests went badly for her. The magical drift impeded their abilities. It wasn't fair for Mage Captain Owlsight to judge Rarity's magical aptitude when her powers were hobbled like that.

Still, Owlsight's reasoning was sound, even with the magical drift factored in. They didn't have time to adjust to the drift properly with the wolven arriving soon. It was for the best that Rarity be transferred to a part of the Legion that didn't put her in direct combat.

Rarity wasn't the only one who went to bed early. Next to her, Pinkie Pie was snoring away. Applejack had told them of how training in barding had sapped even Pinkie's seemingly boundless energy. Twilight guessed that it wasn't just the weight that wore on Pinkie. Marching in orderly lines, moving, stopping, and turning when told to, and having orders barked at you were things far outside Pinkie's element.

As for Applejack, it appeared that she had the best day out of the lot of them. That wasn't much of a surprise either. She was used to manual labor so spending the entire day doing it was nothing new. The barding was an added weight, even for her, but she looked quite proud of the metal plated suit and made no secret of wanting to try out the "fancier ones" she had seen officers wear. She had also made a friend among the recruits: a stallion named Twocolt.

Twilight had expected the same from Rainbow Dash. After all, Rainbow was just as athletic as Applejack and even more enthusiastic. But Rainbow Dash had flown in earlier in an irritable mood, muttering something about making Scarlet regret underestimating her.

Fluttershy had come in last. Twilight had asked her how she had done, but didn't quite hear the reply. It wasn't just because of Fluttershy's soft voice either. As soon as the pegasus had opened her mouth, Twilight was assaulted by a frightful smell. When asked what she had been eating, Fluttershy answered with embarrassment that it must have been the drink that Doctor Redbrand had shared with her.

Then there were the ponies who were not around.

Twilight wondered if she should even be concerned with what Vanguard Clash and Scarlet Rabbit were up to. Now that she was part of the Legion, she had to consider them as higher-ranked soldiers who had their own duties to attend to. They shouldn't be bothered to look after a bunch of recruits. She dearly wanted to consider them friends, life-long, reliable friends she would be writing friendship reports to Princess Celestia about if they were back in the Heartland. But part of her was afraid that they were simply doing what they had been ordered to do. That, when they were done with those orders, she would walk past Vanguard without him even looking at her.

Twilight shook her head, and concentrate on Pyre Valor's notes. She had things to do. Burning Hooves looked impressive, but the range was far too short. She didn't want a wolven to be just ten feet away from her before she could hit it with a spell. Her best option was Fireball, the most difficult spell in Pyre Valor's book. After that, she had to get plenty of rest. Training would begin early tomorrow.

Some time had gone by when the door to their room opened. It was Vanguard Clash. He didn't take a step inside the room. "Applejack," he called out.

Applejack looked up. She had taken to spit shining her barding when she heard her name. "Need something, Vanguard?" she asked.

"Fancy a little evening stroll?" Vanguard asked. The question caught Twilight by surprise. She looked at Vanguard. With his barding in the way, it was so hard to tell what he meant by that. She saw that Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, and Spike also looked shocked.

"Well, I was thinking that, after this, I should hit the-!" Applejack stopped when she saw Vanguard's face. "Sure, why not? Lemme get my coat. Looks a mite cold out."

It was only after the two of them had left when somepony decided to speak.

"What was that all about?" Twilight asked.

Spike shrugged his shoulders. "Maybe Vanguard just wanted some company," he said.

Twilight raised an eyebrow. "He sure was quick to pick Applejack in that case."

"Why not?" Spike said. "You looked busy, Rainbow was sulking, and he probably won't have much to talk about with Fluttershy, or me."

"That's not the reason, silly!" Rainbow said. Her mood seemed to have lightened at the subject. "I know what's really going on!" She motioned for all of them to come closer.

Twilight closed the book and listened along with Fluttershy and Spike.

"Remember that last night we spent out there in the plain?" Rainbow began. "Well, I woke up after everypony had gone to sleep. I saw those two being all cozy by the fire and chatting!"

Fluttershy's eyes widened. "Really?" she asked. "Does that mean-?"

"What were they talking about?" Twilight asked.

"I couldn't hear," Rainbow said. "But I saw him pat her on the shoulder. And, when she went to sleep, she had a smile on her face!"

Twilight snorted at the hinting. "Is that it? They could have just had a friendly chat."

"So why did he ask her out now?" Rainbow asked.

"I'm sure there's a good explanation," Twilight insisted. "We're in the middle of a crisis. Vanguard Clash isn't so frivolous as to…well...do those things while he's busy with his duties."

"He's Special Operations," Rainbow said with a knowing look. "They do a lot of crazy stuff as part of their duties. That includes hanging around doing nothing and asking mares out."

"Well, we'll just have to see then, won't we?" Twilight said. She turned around and returned to her studying. What a waste of time.

"No need to be snappish," Spike said with a yawn. "I'm turning in. All of you should too. You're the ones with new, busy schedules."

* * *

><p>The night air was even colder than Applejack expected. She was thankful that Vanguard had insisted that they get these wolven-fur coats. It wasn't just the air that she got the chill from, however. Vanguard had motioned for her to follow, then walked ahead. She had felt it earlier, but it was clear now that this wasn't some casual walk.<p>

Bastion City looked different at night: scarier and much more grim. The tall buildings rose ominously, partly obscuring tonight's waxing gibbous moon.

"So what's this all about?" she asked.

"Work," Vanguard answered.

The two of them rounded several corners. Applejack soon realized that she was lost. Before she could even think about her predicament, a group of ponies emerged from the shadows to surround her, each one of them garbed in mottled gray cloths. Applejack suppressed a gasp. She didn't see or hear them coming. She noticed Scarlet Rabbit hovering above them in a similar outfit. When she returned her gaze to Vanguard, he was also covering his barding in similar cloths.

"Alright, can somepony tell me what in tarnation is going on?" she asked. "I don't like being led around like this."

One of the ponies produced a sack, and placed in on the ground with a metallic clank. Vanguard pulled out a piece of barding from the sack and handed it to her. "Congratulaions, Applejack," he said. "For tonight, you've just been promoted to Infantry Captain."

"Infantry Captain?" Applejack asked. "I just joined up today! And what in tarnation do you mean by 'for tonight'?"

"Talk less and put it on," one of the other ponies growled.

Applejack glared at the pony, but she took the barding and began to put it on.

"We need your help for this mission, Applejack," Vanguard said. "Do you see that tavern over there?" He pointed towards a nearby building with a pair of free-swinging doors for an entrance. The lights were still open. She could hear loud talking and the occasional clink of glasses striking together. "All you have to do is to walk by the entrance, peer inside, then walk back here."

"I may be a legionnaire for only a day so far, Vanguard Clash, but I know when I'm walking into trouble," Applejack said. "I'd appreciate some honesty before I do anything."

One of the nearby ponies snorted, but Vanguard glared at them for silence. He held Applejack by the shoulders with both front hooves. "I'll honestly tell you three things," he said. "This is important, you will be in danger, and I will protect you."

Applejack was taken aback for a moment. Up close like this, she noticed just how disconcerting Vanguard's eyes were. They looked so fierce, as if they were constantly glaring ahead of them without him even trying. They also glowed slightly in this dark place. She remembered seeing the eyes of the wolven doing the exact same thing. "Gosh, there's no need to be so dramatic about it," she said with a grin. "Count me in!"

"I appreciate it," Vanguard said. He looked over to the other ponies. "All of us do."

"We'd also appreciate it if you told nopony about what we're about to do," one of them said.

"Let's do this," Applejack said. The barding they gave her chafed a little, but felt fine otherwise. 'Well, I was just thinking about how wearing these capri-things would feel,' she thought. The cloth around her legs felt a little awkward so she took note to watch her step.

"Listen carefully," Vanguard said. "This is what we need you to do…"

* * *

><p>The Boozelicker did not enjoy a particularly stellar reputation among Bastion City's taverns. Located in the seedier portion of the city and frequented only by ponies who didn't mind finding a winged insect or two in their drinks once in a while, it made only enough business to keep itself open. Its proprietor, an earth pony named Bottle Spin, didn't mind keeping it that way.<p>

For tonight, the Boozelicker entertained an unusually large group of patrons. In addition to its usual customers, a group of five legionnaires huddled together by one side of the tavern, and a lone, miserable drunk was busy besotting himself in a corner. Bottle Spin was normally wary of legionnaires, but these ones looked too busy talking among themselves to bother anypony.

"We're going to have to act soon," Stoneshod said. Each word was agony to his bound up jaws. "The wolven will be here in a day or two."

"We're halfway through," Halftail replied. "We should be ready when the time comes."

The other ponies around them nodded. They sipped their drinks and looked around. If they anypony from the Legion caught wind of their discussion, they would all end up hanging. It was then that Stoneshod noticed somepony come by the entrance. "Hush!" he said. "Infantry captain coming inside."

They looked down, pretending to enjoy their drinks. Stoneshod eyed the pony by the doors. The Boozelicker was certainly no place for somepony of that rank unless…he caught a better view of the pony. Even at a distance, he recognized the orange coat and yellow mane. The barding covered her flanks, but he knew that there was a picture of three apples there. She peered into the tavern, giving him a clear view of her green eyes before leaving. "Impossible!" he growled. He stood up and immediately went after her.

"Stoneshod, you idiot!" Halftail said. He followed, prompting the rest of their group to do the same.

* * *

><p>Her heart pounding, Applejack walked towards the alley at a steady pace. She swallowed nervously when she noticed several ponies tailing her. It was then that she noticed how dark this part of the city was, and how alone she was in walking here. As she approached the alley, she dearly hoped that Vanguard Clash was ready and waiting. The ponies behind her didn't look like they were going to congratulate her for making Infantry Captain.<p>

She rounded the corner and walked into the alley, expecting Vanguard to be standing there. To her horror, it was empty. Panicked, she wondered if she had entered the wrong alley, or if this was some kind of set up. "That's enough walking, chosen," she heard a familiar voice speak from behind her.

"Who's there?" Applejack asked. "What do you want?"

"Infantry Captain!" Stoneshod snarled. "It's a disgrace that they even allowed you to sign up. Now, they make you Infantry Captain in a day? I'm not standing for this!"

"Enough talking, Stoneshod," one of the ponies accompanying him said. "Let's just kill her, and get out of here before somepony sees us."

"Why'd ya'll want to kill me?" Applejack asked. "We're all legionnaires now!"

Stoneshod spat on the ground and pulled a knife from his harness. "We've endured enough without having to watch chosen play at being legionnaires."

"If you kill me, ponies will notice I'm gone," Applejack said. "Ya'll be criminals!"

"I've done worse things for the Legion," Stoneshod said. "You won't be the first pony to pay for it!"

"Sounds like a confession," Vanguard said.

Applejack heard the whiz of a bolt flying. Stoneshod cried out and dropped his knife. A wooden shaft stuck out of his right foreleg. The shadows came alive as several ponies surrounded the group, each one aiming a crossbow at Stoneshod and his ponies. Scarlet Rabbit hovered above them. The bolt had come from his crossbow.

"Special Operations!" Halftail quailed. The name was followed by weapons being dropped to the ground. One pony tried to make a run for it. He took two steps before finding Vanguard's two bladed sword inches from his face.

Vanguard and his group herded Stoneshod and his ponies to a corner and began binding them. They pushed Stoneshod up the wall and began talking. When Applejack tried to move in closer to see what they were talking about, Scarlet Rabbit flew in front of her.

"Woah there!" Scarlet said. "Rough night, eh? How about you take off that barding and we head on back to our friends?"

"What are they talking about over there?" Applejack asked. She removed a piece of the barding and handed it over to Scarlet.

"Special Operations stuff," Scarlet replied as he stuffed the barding into a sack. After he collected all the pieces, he gently pushed Applejack out of the alley and hovered by her side. "Thanks again for your help. It made things a lot easier for us!"

"If you're really grateful, how's about letting me in on what just happened?" Applejack asked. "Why all this hiding in the dark and why do I need to be involved?"

"I suppose I could fill you in on some details. We've been watching Stoneshod since his tussle with you from before. We got a good feeling he was part of a more dangerous group, but we couldn't just walk in and arrest him in front of others. Ponies would start asking around about what he did,and we'd have to make stuff up. So we thought 'what if they went to a dark alley on their own and we just happened to be waiting for them?' That's when you volunteered."

"I didn't volunteer for anything!" Applejack said.

"You voluntarily kicked his face," Scarlet replied. "That made him hate your guts, which we found useful." Applejack was still struggling with this logic when Scarlet went on. "Thanks to you, nopony suspects anything while we question them. If somepony still asks, we'll say they tried to kill you. Of course, you'll say it's true if they ask you, since that was what they were about to do."

Applejack swallowed. That wasn't a suggestion. She recalled the bolt that had gone through Stoneshod's leg and looked at hers. "Special Operations" was sounding more and more ominous. "What's this 'dangerous group' you were talking about?"

Scarlet was quiet for a time. "You were there when we made that report to Commander Dreadstep so I'll tell you," he said. "Don't go blabbing it to everypony you meet." Scarlet eyed Applejack carefully until she nodded. Once she did, the grin went back on his face. "Right, they're part of the traitors who helped the wolven take FangBreaker. Who knows what they've been up to in the city? We still have to check things out. You chosen have been really useful, though. We've been keeping an eye on reactions to you girls, and you've been turning out a lot of suspects!"

Applejack stared at Scarlet. The red pegasus was still grinning. He talked so casually, but there was a glint in his eye that sent a chill down her spine. Something lurked under all those smiles and cheery banter. She wasn't sure if she wanted to meet that something.

"I hope you don't take it against us," Scarlet said.

"Take what against you?"

"That we're keeping an eye on you too."

Applejack stopped momentarily, prompting Scarlet to do the same. "Are you saying that you've been watching me?"

"Well, not me," Scarlet said. "I'm tasked to watch Rainbow He- I mean, Rainbow Dash. But, yeah, somepony's watching you to see if more of these traitors show up."

"What about Vanguard?" Applejack asked.

"The Captain? What about him?"

"Is he watching one of us too?"

"Of course!"

"Well, which one?"

"Which one what?"

"Who's he watching? It's Twilight isn't it? He sure does spend a lot of time with Twilight."

Scarlet's smile split into a wide grin. "Wouldn't you like to know?" he said.

Before Applejack could reply, they were already standing in front of the building they were staying.

Scarlet winked at Applejack. "Let's keep this to ourselves, alright?"

Applejack could only nod before the two of them entered.


	21. Black Rose

**Upheaval: Breaking Point**

**Chapter 21: Black Rose**

It wasn't long before Stoneshod found himself inside a small, windowless room. The ponies who had dragged him here had shoved him unto a lone chair. It had only been a few minutes, but the bare walls of pitiless gray stone were already pressing down on him.

He was not tied up, but he was led through one corridor after another, and past multiple groups of guards. He had the feeling that his captors had taken a circuitous route to subtly remind him that there was no escaping this place.

The door swung open, and two ponies stepped in. Stoneshod easily recognized Captain Vanguard Clash, having encountered him plenty of times before. The other pony was not so familiar, a blue-eyed, dark blue unicorn mare with her deep purple mane in carefully arranged ringlets. The two of them glanced at each other and approached him from different sides. Stoneshod sneered at the sight of this. "What's going on?" he asked. "Are you going to play good captain, bad captain with me?"

"We would, Stoneshod," Vanguard replied, "but traitors like you don't deserve good captains."

"So you get two bad ones instead," the unicorn said in a surprisingly soft tone. She stood right next to Stoneshod and leaned on the table with her forelegs. "We'll give you this one chance to tell us what we want to know on your own volition. If you cooperate, then we'll lock you up for the rest of your worthless life. If not, we'll hang you like the miserable sack of wolven-bait you are."

"What if I don't?" Stoneshod asked.

"Then we'll use this," Vanguard answered. He pulled out a small syringe filled with glowing, green liquid from his harness. "The ophidites call it 'Selris Zain', 'Liar's Bane' to us. They originally made it, but the Legion has long since made use of it as well. If you won't tell us the truth, we'll use this to force it out of you."

"That stuff will slither through your brain and dig out the info we need," the unicorn said with a smile. "You can imagine how difficult it is to keep secrets from the ophidites."

"Unfortunately for you, our slithering friends down south don't care for the health of their prisoners once interrogation is over," Vanguard added. "Side-effects after this toxin wears off include partial permanent paralysis, loss of memory, seizures, migraines, uncontrollable muscle twitching..."

"Or, if you're weak, your brain just dribbles out of your ears," the unicorn finished. "Either way, we're going to get what we can out of you. It's your choice how it's going to come out."

Stoneshod snorted. Torture and the use of the enemy's vile tools? Nothing unexpected from Special Operations. "I'll talk," he said. "I'm not going to make it hard for myself."

The unicorn looked downcast. "Wise choice," she said. She put a hoof on top of Stoneshod's head and ruffled his mane. "For you anyway. I was hoping you'd make us melt parts of your brain, then hang you. Don't lie though. I'm pretty good at noticing lies and pretty bad at controlling myself when I notice them."

"Captain Nightcanter, work first," Vanguard said. When the unicorn stepped away from Stoneshod, he continued. "First question. How many of you were involved in the FangBreaker Fortress sabotage?"

"Eight cells with five ponies each," Stoneshod replied.

"Including yours, how many made it here?"

"Seven. One cell got trapped and killed."

"What about Bastion City?" Nightcanter asked. "How many ponies did you have here before you came along?"

"Ten."

Both captains' eyes narrowed in thought.

"What's the matter?" Stoneshod asked with a smirk. "Surprised by our numbers? You didn't think we were some small ragtag group now, did you?"

Nightcanter's horn glowed a deep blue. A bruising telekinetic grip held Stoneshod by his head. The magic slammed his face into the table three times before letting go. Blood streamed from his nostrils as he steadied himself. "You answer questions and nothing more, you filthy nag!" she hissed.

"Can you give us the names of these ponies?" Vanguard asked.

"I can't," Stoneshod said, wiping some of the blood from his nose on his hoof.

Vanguard grabbed Stoneshod by the mane and pressed the syringe against his neck without quite penetrating.

"Wait! Wait!" Stoneshod exclaimed. He winced and put a hoof to his mending jaw at his outburst. "I can't give you their names even if I want to! Individual cells don't know the members of other cells in case something like this happened!"

Vanguard let go, but he kept the syringe on hoof. "Then how do you work together?" he asked.

"We get our orders from drop zones," Stoneshod explained. "When cells meet, we put masks on. The meetings are always at night."

"You don't even know who in the hay you're working for!" Nightcanter hissed. "You'll betray Equestria at a stranger's whim?"

"I haven't betrayed Equestria!" Stoneshod snarled. His face twisted in pain and spit leaked out of his mouth with each word. "We're the ones who have to make the hard decisions while lackeys like you mindlessly plod on, scarfing down every pile of crap that the alicorns leave for you!"

Nightcanter slammed Stoneshod's face into the table three more times before Vanguard stopped her. "He won't be able to talk if his jaw falls off," he told her. To Stoneshod, he asked another question. "How do you identify each other in the dark then?" he asked. "How can you tell if a bunch of masked ponies are working with you or not?"

"We use an identifying phrase."

"Which is?"

Stoneshod hesitated until he felt both captains fix hard stares on him. "Black Rose will bloom once again," he finally said.

For a fleeting moment, Stoneshod noticed a look of horror overcome Nightcanter. He found the sight worrisome. Here was a Special Operations Captain who had seen horrors on and off the battlefield, but the mention of a name scared her. Was he in over his head? Who was this Black Rose? Then, the moment was gone. The look of horror was replaced with anger.

"I'll tear your jaw off myself!" Nightcanter hissed. She leaned forward and grabbed a hold of Stoneshod's lower jaw. "A whining malcontent of a grunt like you has no right to invoke that name!"

"I don't even know who Black Rose is!" Stoneshod protested. "It's just the phrase we were told to use!"

Nightcanter shoved Stoneshod away before Vanguard needed to separate them. "What were your last orders?" she asked.

"We were going to complete a tunnel under the walls. That was our standing order the moment we arrived in Bastion City."

"Tell us where it is."

"I will. Give me a map, and I'll point it out. I've told you all I know."

Vanguard's eyes narrowed. "Not yet," he said. "What happened to Pyre Valor?"

When Stoneshod looked away, and stayed silent, Vanguard stepped closer. Stoneshod felt a chill when the other stallion's shadow fell across him. "White unicorn mare: long, wild and black mane, about as tall as I am, brown eyes, and a naturally fierce expression on her face," he said.

"I know who she is."

"Then answer my question."

"She was a newcomer," Stoneshod said. "She came to us at the very last moment. We thought we were done for, but she explained that she was joining up. 'To a degree' she said. She also said that she was going to blow up the gates to let the wolven in." Stoneshod paused in recollection. "She was also smoking and hot."

"I'm not interested in your juvenile attractions," Vanguard growled.

"No, foal!" Stoneshod replied. "I meant literally! She was literally smoking! There were these wisps of smoke rising out of her body that creeped us all out! She was also projecting enough heat to make us sweat even with the cold night air!" He clutched his jaw again.

Vanguard turned away. Even Stoneshod could tell that he was fuming over something. "I'll get a map," he finally said.

* * *

><p>Vanguard Clash and Nightcanter left the interrogation room at the same time. They were certain that they had gotten everything they could from Stoneshod, but Nightcanter had suggested using the Liar's Bane anyway. Vanguard disagreed. It was more than apparent that Stoneshod was a bottom-rung grunt in the traitorous organization. They had gotten plenty of information regardless. It wouldn't be long until Special Operations gave them another mission.<p>

"Tell me about this Black Rose," Vanguard said as they walked down a hall.

"Are you telling me you don't know the most infamous unicorn in Barrier Land history?" Nightcanter asked.

"I've encountered a few fleeting mentions of the name time and again. Pyre also mentioned her once. I'd like some clearer details."

"She's a legend," Nightcanter said. "Black Rose the Ascendant. Black Rose the Prince's Consort. Black Rose the Arcane Terror. She was a unicorn mage and a relentless commander. If you read enough stories, you'd think there was nothing she couldn't do. It's impossible to separate fact from myth."

"Interesting titles," Vanguard remarked. They turned at one corner, passing a pair of legionnaires escorting one of Stoneshod's cronies to a cell. "Why was she called "Ascendant"?"

"The stories have it that she was a few steps away from transforming into an alicorn," Nightcanter said. "She was the greatest magic user of her time. Likely the greatest of all time. She had discovered a way to stop aging. She had also accumulated so much power that she was feared as a monster in Equestria, Ursinium, Ophidus, and Wolvengard, giving her the title "Arcane Terror". Under her command, the Legion advanced to conquer a large number of territories from all sides."

"What about "The Prince's Consort"?"

"That's where the stories really vary. One way or another, Black Rose naturally caught Prince Terrato's attention. The romanticists insist that the two of them had a love affair. Some even go as far as to suggest that they had a foal that the prince spirited away to the Heartland. The pragmatists insist that he simply kept her in his favor because she was so reliable. Regardless, the great amount of time she spent with the prince gave her that title."

"She sounds more like a heroine made up to inspire fillies rather than an actual mare," Vanguard said. "What happened?"

"No happy ending for the fillies here," Nightcanter said darkly. "Black Rose strongly believed that the division was a hindrance to Equestria's rise in power. The popular theory is that she secretly developed a plan to assassinate Princess Celestia, making Prince Terrato the sole ruler of a united Equestria with dominion over Sun, Moon, and Earth. The prince found out and confronted her in her tower in the Western Barrier Land."

"That couldn't have ended well," Vanguard said.

"Apparently that theory is true, or it was pretty close. The prince laid waste to her tower and killed her," Nightcanter added. "That's where the historical account ends."

"Then this shouldn't be a problem. She's dead."

"You should brush up on your history, Vanguard," Nightcanter said with a snort. "You'd think it'd be that easy, but no. The Legion's dealt with three separate Black Rose rebellions since she died. Malcontents like Stoneshod like to throw the name around to gather like-minded ponies. I hope this time's just like one of those times, but..."

"These are different circumstances," Vanguard said. "The wolven attacking in force, chosen breaking through the barrier, Princess Luna showing up…I'm guessing this is the biggest Black Rose rebellion the Legion has had to deal with."

Nightcanter's eyes narrowed. "Right you are," she replied. "We've got our hooves full with the wolven. We don't need a unicorn sorceress who's been dead for seven hundred years to add to the mix."

"The Legion will overcome. We'll root these traitors out, drive back the wolven, and find places for the chosen."

"Sounds like a plan," Nightcanter said with a grin. They stood by the prison's exit. "Turning in for the night?"

"Yes," Vanguard answered. He looked at the sky. It was already very late. He was going to get two or three hours of rest at best.

"Your place is a long way off," Nightcanter said. She brushed against him deliberately. "My quarters are closer, and I've got an extra bunk."

"They assigned one legionnaire to a room with two bunks?" Vanguard asked.

"Fine, you nitpicker, it's just one bunk," Nightcanter said. "It's a really big one, though," she added.

"I'll pass."

"That's the eighth time, Vanguard Clash!" Nightcanter said. "I'm starting to think you prefer colts!"

"You should stop counting. You'll be annoyed less. And the choice isn't between you and colts."

"So is there somepony?"

"None of your business, Captain Nightcanter."

"Touchy. Fine, I'll go with my third choice then. See you tomorrow, Vanguard."

Vanguard waved a hoof and went on his way.

* * *

><p>Deep within the Western Barrier Land was a small lake surrounded by steep, forbidding mountains. It was called "Heavenly Basin", and was inaccessible other than by flight, very powerful magic, or somehow traversing the underground rivers that fed it. At the center of that lake was a small island covered with the obsidian wreckage of what was the tower of the infamous Black Rose.<p>

Rumors abounded throughout all of the Barrier Lands that the site still contained valuable treasures and powerful spell books, but nopony had ever managed to confirm them. The entire site also contained lingering traces of Black Rose's magic in the form of an unnatural aura that seemed to permeate everything in the basin. In the years immediately after Black Rose's demise, Legion-sent salvagers and independent adventurers alike braved the difficult journey to try their luck. Most came away with nothing, but the unnatural aura pervading the place haunted their nightmares for the rest of their lives. A few simply vanished. As centuries went by, and as its reputation continued to grow, nopony worked up the courage to venture into the ruins.

"Nopony", however, tended not to include Equestria's alicorn rulers. Prince Terrato descended from the skies, landing gently on the island. He eyed the place carefully, noting that almost nothing had changed since he had last visited this place centuries ago. Heavenly Basin seemed frozen in time to an observer. The crystalline waters of the lake were perfectly still, as was the air. The sky was permanently shrouded with dark clouds that never caused any precipitation to fall on the place. All around him, chunks of obsidian were strewn about: the remains of Black Rose's mighty tower. At the center of the wreckage was a pillar of white stone, driven into the ground like a gigantic spear.

Terrato walked over to the pillar and read the inscription near its base, the same inscription he had put there when he drove the thing down on Black Rose's head.

_This is the end of Black Rose. The same hard and barren fate awaits all of Celestia's enemies._

With his magic, Terrato lifted the entire pillar, carefully pulling it out of the earth without ruining it or the hole it had created. After setting the pillar aside, he inspected the hole and found it empty. There were no bones or clothing. He scoured the spot with magic, looking for even the smallest trace of what used to be Black Rose. He came out with nothing. He sighed and replaced the pillar. Seven hundred years ago, he had made sure with his own eyes that she was dead. Though it pained him greatly, he had lifted this same pillar to check, forcing himself to look at her bloody, crushed remains, before leaving them to remain under the pillar forever. To find not even a trace, even though centuries had passed, did not bode well with the growing crisis in his realm.

Terrato closed his eyes for a moment, remembering that day he came to this place.

_"Would you slay me, my prince? The one pony who holds you dearest without condition?"_

Terrato had believed those words once. Seven hundred years ago felt like another lifetime. He was another pony back then and that pony, that foalish, brash soldier desperate for affection amidst the centuries of his duty, had found solace in Black Rose's seemingly unflinching devotion. She was such a beautiful unicorn mare, sleek and graceful, but strong and athletic. She had a silky smooth black coat, a crimson mane that nearly cascaded to the ground, and a tail to match. She had eyes of the softest gray that she could hold anypony's gaze with confidence. He had stupidly showered her with his favor and given her free reign over his realm.

When he discovered the dark side of that devotion he prized so much, the rage nearly threatened to drive him mad. Black Rose may have loved him, but she loved power more. She consumed ponies to fight off age and death. She had plans to infiltrate the Heartland and assassinate his sister. Worst of all, she proclaimed that she was doing it for him and a united Equestria. He had only one answer for that.

_"Heed me well, beloved. When your younger sister returns from her imprisonment, Wolvengard will start its greatest attack. With her defender pressed on all sides, and the Elements of Harmony out of reach, Celestia will be at her weakest. When that time comes, Black Rose will bloom once again."_

Those were her last words. It wasn't even a fight. Black Rose offered no resistance while he stripped her of every single one of her protective spells before dropping a pillar of rock on her head. She was smiling at that time, a serene smile that left him uneasy. It was as if he was still playing into her hooves, right up until the moment her body was crushed.

'The time is right, Black Rose,' Terrato thought as he inspected the rest of the ruins. Though nothing was physically different, there was a different charge in the lingering magical aura. A disturbance had occurred here recently, a disturbance that somepony took to great lengths to hide. 'Luna is back, Celestia has passed on the Elements of Harmony to her rebellious student and her friends, and the wolven are attacking. All that's left is…'

A fleeting shadow caught the corner of Terrato's eye. He looked behind him, but found nopony there. Still, he could have sworn that he saw somepony. He felt like he was being watched. With a snort of frustration, he flapped his wings, and made his way north.

* * *

><p>Vanguard entered the building where his friends were staying, taking great pains to make sure that he didn't wake anypony up. They had more training ahead of them and they needed their rest. He removed his tramplers before he walked on the wooden floor, setting them aside by one corner of the room.<p>

His eyes lingered on a nearby desk. Twilight Sparkle was slumped over it while dozing away. On the desk were Pyre Valor's still open book and a small puddle of melted wax. Shaking his head, he took a nearby blanket with his mouth, and gently draped it over her. To his chagrin, that movement was enough to cause her to stir. She opened her eyes weakly and turned to look at him.

"Fenrir's hide, Twilight Sparkle," Vanguard whispered. "Don't you know the meaning of restraint?"

Twilight Sparkle looked at the open book in front of her sleepily, and closed it. "I was waiting for you to come back," she said with a yawn. "When Applejack came back with Scarlet…" She didn't finish the sentence. She stood up groggily to head for an empty bed. She leaned over to one side, forcing Vanguard to hold her up lest she fall over.

"It's not like you'll never see me again," Vanguard said. He helped her onto a bed and draped a blanket over her. She closed her eyes and fell back to sleep.

Vanguard carefully removed the rest of his barding before lying down on the empty bed next to Scarlet's. After Stoneshod's interrogation, Bastion City felt a lot more hostile than it used to when he walked its streets as a colt. He wondered if there were bands of ponies out there this very moment: digging away at the defenses, ruining their supplies…

'And now this Black Rose business,' he thought. The Legion faced enemies outside and within, while the Heartland itself was becoming restless.

Where were all these things leading to?


	22. Order and Place

**Upheaval: Breaking Point**

**Chapter 22: Order and Place**

The following morning found Rainbow Dash making good time towards the plaza. She had explored all of the places she had been instructed to yesterday. She even got in an hour of target practice, getting a good feel of shooting with her crossbow. She thought she did pretty good. She was no crack shot, but not bad for her first day._"Don't pat yourself on the back yet, recruit,"_ the reconnaissance officer had told her. _"Your real targets won't be made of wood."_

For today, Rainbow was hoping to improve her aim. She had her leather barding on with her crossbow strapped to her harness, just like Scarlet had told her, as well case full of bolts strapped to her side. To her surprise, her fellow recruits were not lined up by the firing range. Instead, they were clustered over the side of one building and looking at its wall. She flew over to check what was the commotion about. It turned out that they were looking at several papers that had been posted on the wall. "What's going on?" she asked a nearby recruit.

"They've finished assigning us to the different flights," the recruit answered.

"What does that mean?"

"Yesterday was an assessment period. Didn't you see the flight captains watching us while we were practicing flying and shooting?"

Rainbow shook her head. "I was out scouting places," she said. "Wait a minute…does that mean that everypony has been scouted out by flight captains and I didn't get to show my stuff?"

The recruit shrugged his shoulders. "Looks that way," he said. "You may as well check the posts for your name."

Rainbow Dash squeezed through the throng of gathered pegasi until she got close enough to the lists. Each posted paper had the name of a flight with a list of names of those who were assigned to it. Rainbow Dash felt a sense of excitement as she scanned the papers. Each flight had a cool name: Flight Bladefeather, Flight Frostshear, Flight Stormdawn…her gaze flitted from name to name, eager to find hers. Finally, after being jostled about a bit, she found it.

_Flight Dreadwing: Rainbow Dash_

There were other names in the list, but Rainbow didn't notice. Dreadwing…that sounded cool. She hoped that they had cool outfits as well. She squeezed her way out of the gathered crowd with barely contained excitement. As soon as she was free, however, she found herself face-to-face with Scarlet Rabbit.

"Did you find out which flight you were assigned to?" Scarlet asked.

"Yeah," Rainbow answered. Her excitement was mixed with a little annoyance. She hadn't forgotten yesterday's race and Scarlet's self-hobbling. "Flight Dreadwing."

The grin disappeared from Scarlet's face, replaced by a look of concern with a touch of nostalgia. "Dreadwing, huh?" he replied. "That's Tailwind's flight."

Rainbow Dash's eyes widened. "Tailwind?" she asked. "As in Vanguard's mom Tailwind?"

Before Scarlet could answer, a familiar voice came from behind him. "That's Flight Captain Tailwind to you, recruit." Rainbow looked past Scarlet and, sure enough, found Flight Captain Tailwind walking towards them. The bluish white pegasus had a smile on her face as she approached her flight's newest member, a smile that conveyed more anticipation than any actual joy. "Come along, Rainbow Dash, the rest of your fellow recruits are already waiting," Tailwind said. Scarlet gave a salute, then flew off, leaving Rainbow to follow behind her new flight captain.

"I traded that foal of a nag, Wingslice, three recruits to get you, Rainbow Dash," Tailwind said as they flew towards the northern end of the city. "You better prove me smart!"

"Why would you do that?" Rainbow Dash asked. "I didn't even get to show my stuff during the assessment day!"

Tailwind glanced back at her with a knowing look. "Oh, but you did," she said. "I watched your little race with Scarlet. Impressive, I must say."

"I lost that race," Rainbow muttered. It didn't matter, Tailwind heard her anyway.

"It's assessment," Tailwind said. "It's not a matter of winning or losing. You did well. As well as Scarlet when he was starting off."

"Really?" Rainbow asked.

"I would know," Tailwind grinned as she looked back at her again. "He was Flight Dreadwing before he was transferred to Special Operations."

Rainbow Dash felt more of her confidence returning. "Then it's only a matter of time!" she said.

"It's going to take more than time, you foal," Tailwind said. She stopped mid-flight so abruptly that Rainbow Dash flew past her before stopping and double backing. "You're fast, Rainbow Dash, but you're arrogant and you lack discipline."

Tailwind hovered over to Rainbow and looked her in the eye. "You swallowed my stupid son's bait like it was Grade A Winter Moss, then proceeded to challenge the fastest pegasus in the Northern Legion before you could even get used to your new barding and equipment's weight and without even observing him to gauge his abilities. There's brave and there's reckless. Here in the Legion, we honor the brave and turn the reckless into cautionary tales for the next bunch of recruits."

Tailwind's eyes narrowed while her lips curved into a slight smile. Rainbow swallowed a lump in her throat and back away slightly. "But that works for me," she continued." I can't make natural talent grow where there's none, but I'm confident in my ability to beat discipline into a promising recruit. Literally if I have to."

With that, Tailwind flew ahead, leaving Rainbow Dash to hover there wondering what she had just gotten herself into. "Let's go, Rainbow Dash, you're going to love it in my flight!" Tailwind called out after her.

* * *

><p>For Sharpfangs, feeding the Legion had always been among the most under-appreciated jobs for a legionnaire. Even in the best circumstances, it was still a hectic job. Legionnaires were not picky with their food. They may complain and joke about it, but they ate what was provided. They needed a lot, however, and they needed it quickly. Empty bellies were a disaster in a battle and it fell to Logistics' kitchen division to prevent that. Supplies had to be regulated and the commissary stocked.<p>

And that was during the best circumstances, which they certainly weren't experiencing at the moment. It was only during the attack when they were evacuating the fort did they notice that a large amount of their supplies had been ruined. Not only that, the kitchen staff itself didn't escape without casualties. Sharpfangs himself should have been killed in action if his wife hadn't showed up and dragged him out of the fortress. As a result, they were short-hoofed and working with limited resources.

Today's breakfast was a small taste of what Sharpfangs expected as the battle continued. The Legion's ranks had recovered a bit with the latest draft and the addition of the city's defenders, but Logistics was the last to benefit from new troops. Infantry got most of the earth ponies, Reconnaissance all but monopolized pegasi recruits, and Magical took all the unicorns. Logistics had to work with leftovers: recruits deemed unfit for front-line combat and were better off with, what most legionnaires believed, were menial tasks. By the end of recruitment day, Logistics was supporting almost the same number of legionnaires it was when the fort was functioning, but was doing so with barely half its casualties replaced.

Sharpfangs didn't mind the situation. He understood the lack of recruits going to Logistics. Rare was the pony who looked forward to a time when this wolven attack was repulsed so that he could boast of how he cooked for the triumphant soldiers who fought gloriously or repaired their tools and transported their luggage. Especially not if that same pony could join those who did the fighting. Besides, it wasn't like Logistics came out completely empty hoofed. This was something his fellow cook, Grassmane, was quick to remind him.

"So what do you think of our new chosen recruit, Sharpfangs?" Grassmane asked. He dipped a ladle into a cauldron of bubbling vegetable soup and gave it a sip. Frowning, he turned around and grabbed some pepper from a nearby cupboard.

"She looks like a hard worker," Sharpfangs replied while slicing up some fruits. The fresh fruits were the first to go. Winter would soon force them to rely on preserved goods. He eyed the recruit that Grassmane mentioned: a pink-coated pony who had just been assigned to their kitchen this morning. The balloons that marked her flank was a curious sight, curious enough to make him almost forget that it was rude to stare at a mare's flank and that Tailwind would kick his if she saw him.

Recruit Pinkie Pie, as she had enthusiastically introduced herself, handled a mound of dough with practiced ease and enthusiasm. She presented a stark contrast to the other cooks around her who moved mechanically in their duties.

Having been informed that she used to live with bakers back in the Heartland, Head Chef Fullblanch had assigned her with baking duty. While Sharpfangs agreed with the decision, especially now that he saw how well she did, there was something else that concerned him.

Pinkie Pie worked with an unusual amount of cheer for a recruit that had just been transferred to Kitchen Division. Most of the time, recruits assigned here worked glumly, as if their transfer was a punishment instead of an assessment of how they could best serve the Legion. Not so Recruit Pinkie Pie. She didn't walk to her station, she bounced towards it. Sharpfangs found the gusto by which she went about her new duties a little cute and refreshing, a small reminder that what he and his fellows here in the kitchen did was just as important as routing a wolven attack. As she worked, she also hummed some sort of lively tune that he found himself tapping a hoof to. In there lay a brewing problem.

Pinkie's fellow worker at the bread station was a burly earth pony stallion almost twice her size called Graveleaf. He was a transfer from the Western Legion who served in Infantry until he was caught in a blizzard and lost one of his hind legs to frostbite. Graveleaf had no intention of retiring and worked with Kitchen Division, relying on a wooden leg to help him hobble about. He was a hard worker although his bread tended to be on the tough side due to the force by which he prepared his dough. Unfortunately, he was a bit antisocial. Sharpfangs and the senior members of the kitchen got along well with him, but his silent, intimidating demeanor and his battle-hardened, scar-covered visage intimidated most recruits. Three recruits that had been transferred to the kitchen division had asked for a transfer to other Logistics divisions after a few days of having to work next to him. Pinkie didn't seem the least bit intimidated by sharing a station with him. She bounced around their workplace and all around him while humming.

Sharpfangs kept an eye on the two while he prepared the meals assigned to him. The chosen were friends with his son and he thought that he should, at least, try to step in should Graveleaf turn on Pinkie Pie and pound her out like one of his dough mounds for being so lively.

Sure enough, some time passed and the normally stoic Graveleaf was looking a little distracted. He glanced at Pinkie briefly as he worked on some more dough. Sharpfangs edged a little closer to their station. Next to him, Grassmane seemed to have noticed as well. A few more tense moments passed, then Graveleaf approached Pinkie while she was watching a batch of bread loaves begin to rise.

"Recruit…" Graveleaf's gravelly voice quickly caught Pinkie's attention. She turned around curiously and looked up at him.

"Yes?" Pinkie asked.

"What is that ridiculously catchy tune you keep humming?" Graveleaf asked. "Is that some kind of ritual humming you chosen do?"

"Ritual?" Pinkie asked with a smile. "Oh, no! It's my Legion Bread Baking song! It's a work in progress though."

"Does it have words to go along with it?"

"Sure!"

Sharpfangs noticed Fullblanch raise his head from the main station. It seemed that the Head Chef had been keeping an eye on them as well. "Well, don't short us with the watered down version, recruit!" Fullblanch called out. "Let's hear the entire thing!"

The other cooks voiced out their agreement. Pinkie Pie saluted, then burst into song as she pulled out the latest batch of bread from the oven. Sharpfangs listened intently to her lyrics. True enough, it was a song about…baking bread. His eyes widened in surprise as he observed the singing recruit. Barely a day spent in her new environment and she already had this. He quickly found himself tapping a hoof to the song. He stopped and looked guiltily at Grassmane, only to find his fellow cook bobbing his head in tune.

Sharpfangs looked around him and found the kitchen much more alive. Work still progressed, but Pinkie Pie's cheer seemed to add an extra spring to even the most menial chore, even Graveleaf flung down some dough with a bit more enthusiasm.

From his station, Head Chef Fullblanch gave a hearty laugh. "Welcome to Kitchen Division, Pinkie Pie!" he called out.

* * *

><p>Over at the southern section of Bastion City, Hammer Chain had just started up his forge for another day of work. His new workplace was a bit smaller than his old one back at FangBreaker Fortress, but he was glad to at least have something to work with. The misbegotten wolven had overrun the fort and, while he was inclined to take a place at the front lines to bash a few of the filthy dogs himself, he had a much more important job.<p>

Logistics' Armory Division had its work cut out for it. Weapons and barding had to be repaired, new recruits had to be armed and armored, and ammunition had to be made for crossbows. Hammer Chain himself had spent all day yesterday re-forging barding for the rest of FangBreaker's survivors. Wolven teeth were sharp and serrated and their jaws clamped down with the force of a smith's vice. Even the best barding suffered damage while protecting their owners, owners who turned to Hammer Chain to repair them swiftly.

It was late morning and Hammer Chain had just finished a piece when a knock on his door told him that his next order of business had just arrived. He opened the door for a tall, gray earth pony with strange, red eyes and several burned patches along one side of his body. He was carrying a sack which, Hammer Chain guessed, was full of barding.

"Captain Vanguard Clash," Hammer Chain said. "I didn't expect to see you any time soon. Don't tell me that my masterpiece has finally been damaged!"

Vanguard gave a wry smile and handed the sack over to Hammer Chain. The smith's bushy eyebrows furrowed as he opened the flap and pulled out a piece. The black plates had been damaged by heat. That they were was a puzzle. He had crafted Vanguard Clash's barding out of nightsteel, a more expensive variant of regular steel that was stronger and insulated better, on commission by Commander Dreadstep and out of gratitude for the time Vanguard rescued him from a wolven ambush. For the metal to be affected like this required quite a flame. He searched the sack further and found that the caparison that went with the set was a tattered, burned wreck.

"This is quite a mess," Hammer Chain said. "What did you do, Vanguard? Jump into a furnace?"

"Close enough," Vanguard said. "Can it be repaired?"

"It can," Hammer Chain answered. "It should be ready before the day ends."

"Thank you. How much will it cost?"

"Don't even think about payment. I'd have hunted you down if you went to another smith to get it fixed."

"Thank you again," With a smile and a nod, Vanguard went on his way. Hammer Chain laid out the barding and inspected each piece. The damage wasn't serious. He'd probably be done in a matter of hours. The caparison, however, was going to take some work. It may even be better off being replaced entirely. Not only was it badly burned, it looked like a wolven had clawed off pieces of it. He looked around the smithy to see if he had the materials to make one. Finding none, he cursed under his breath and prepared to leave, making sure that the forge was well supplied while he was gone. It was times like these that made him wish that his last apprentice hadn't been eaten.

* * *

><p>While most of her friends had enthusiastically headed off to their new, respective posts, Rarity had gone to hers with a much slower step. She reported to Logistics Officer Frostmane whom Vanguard Clash had directed her towards. She had been assigned to Logistics's Maintenance Division, then tasked with repairing miscellaneous damaged items such as tents, blankets, and fur coats. A small pile of such things lay to her left while another pile of the same things that had been repaired lay to her right.<p>

Some good had come out of the transfer, however. It had given Rarity access to a needle and thread. She was even given a pair of scissors. She had sighed inwardly when she levitated the familiar tools with ease. Even with the magical drift hobbling her magic, she could still manage this. One of the first things she turned her sewing skills on was none other than the mage-coat that had been provided for her yesterday. She had been allowed to keep it as protection although actually wearing it was a pretty painful experience to her fashion sense.

The coat was a thick cloth padded with leather. Its shape was basically a blanket draped over her. It felt like she was wearing a blanket as well: a thick, heavy blanket that slowed her down far more than necessary.

There was nothing to be done about the color, but how the fabric fell and weight distribution could be adjusted. Every scrap of free time she got in between repairing materials went to modifying her coat to suit her taste. She snipped off parts she didn't think were necessary and reinforced the padding where she believed needed more protection. Adjusting how the coat fell on her was a bit of a challenge, but manageable. She was holding up the finished product and inspecting it lovingly when she heard somepony speak from behind her.

"That's an interesting mage-coat you have there, chosen, where did you acquire it?"

Rarity whirled to find a unicorn stallion watching her curiously. He had a red-orange coat and a cropped mane of ashen blue. His face was covered with a thick blue beard, long enough to form a few inches of goatee. Guiltily, she floated the mage-coat behind her. "Um…nowhere really," she said. "Just a mage-coat from the pile."

The unicorn extended a hoof. "Let me see that," he said. Rarity was quickly becoming familiar with that tone. It was no request. Left with no choice, she floated the coat over to him for inspection.

"These are quite the changes you've made," the unicorn said. He turned the mage-coat over with his telekinesis,eyeing each modification without showing any sign of approval or disapproval. "I see you've taken off some of the padding by the rear. Any explanation why?"

"Well, um…sir," Rarity replied. She wasn't sure how to address this unicorn. He looked like a senior legionnaire so she decided to stay humble and respectful. "When I saw the wolven attack in FangBreaker, I noticed that they prefer to lunge at the throat or jump on the back instead of going for a pony's heels. So I took away most of the padding in that area to reinforce those areas. It also gives the wearer more mobility and leaves the hind legs free to buck in case of an emergency."

"True," the unicorn said. He returned the mage-coat to Rarity and began to eye her instead of the coat. "What do you do here, recruit?"

"I've been tasked with mending these things," Rarity answered and gestured to the piles to her sides. "Am…am I in trouble, sir?" she asked.

"Well, I was thinking of having you whipped for tampering with barding design," the unicorn said. "But I've changed my mind. Come with me, recruit." He walked off, leaving Rarity to follow behind.

Rarity quickly noticed that they were heading for the maintenance officer's office. Once they got there, the unicorn flung the door open and, without any preamble, grabbed Rarity by a foreleg and dragged her to his side. "Halfstitch, this recruit tells me that she patches up tents and coats for your division, is this true?" he asked.

Halfstitch, a lean, grizzled earth pony with a purple coat with a deeper purple mane, frowned at the sight of Rarity. She shrank a little as he put her under his disapproving scrutiny. "It's true," he said. "What's the matter? Was she lying about somewhere? These spoiled chosen…it's the whipping post if that's-!"

"You mule-headed foal, this mare's too valuable to be patching up random holes in a corner. I want her transferred to Armory Division under me."

Though he looked offended, Halfstitch leaned forward from his desk and looked shrewdly at the unicorn. "I don't know, Hammer Chain, this recruit's pretty valuable. It's not like we got a bunch of them from yesterday's draft."

Hammer Chain snorted. "How about I give you that harness you've been eyeing in my shop yesterday?"

Halfstitch grinned and stood up. "I'll get the paperwork ready," he said.

Hammer Chain grinned as well and looked at Rarity. "Good. Come with me, recruit."

* * *

><p>A few minutes passed and Rarity found herself inside a small smithy. Several tools were scattered about while piles of metal were stacked by one corner. A forge burned brightly, dominating the entire place and making it uncomfortably hot.<p>

Hammer Chain put down the rolls of fabric that he had just acquired and stared at Rarity. "What's your name, recruit?" he asked.

"My name is Rarity, Sir Hammer Chain, is it?"

"Actually it's just Hammer Chain. I don't know where you got that sir part. What did you use to do over…wherever it is you came from?"

"I was a dressmaker."

"Ever work with barding? Pounded metal plates into shape? How about weapons?"

"Certainly not! I made formal-wear for balls! I've certainly never had to work with…metal."

"Bah! What's barding but a different dress you wear for a livelier sort of party? And what's metal but a tougher, harder to shape fabric?"

Rarity wasn't quite sure how to respond to that sort of logic.

"Tell you what, Rarity, you've just been transferred to Armory Division as my apprentice. I'll let you deal with mage-coats and leather barding while we work, then we'll scrape every bit of time we get out of this war to teach you how to work with metal. Does that sound good to you?"

"Um…yes. Yes, it certainly does!" Rarity said. She found herself enthusiastic despite the rather uncomfortable state of her new workplace. She was no longer placed in a station out of convenience. Instead, she was now working where her talents can shine.

"Good," Hammer Chain said. "You can start with Vanguard Clash's caparison while I start on his barding. Let's get to work!"

* * *

><p>By the end of the day, Bastion City's ponies returned to their homes with a hint of fearful anticipation. Reports of the wolven army being spotted by pegasus scouts were now widespread. It was only a matter of time until they had to deal with an attack. The last few wagons of supplies made their way through the city's southern gates. There would be no more trade from the southern cities until the wolven were repulsed to make sure that wagons were not ambushed. Supplies would have to come by air soon.<p>

It was then that the collective fears of an entire city manifested in the form of a horn sounding off. Everypony knew what the sound meant even though most of the citizens had just heard it for the first time. The first wolven had just appeared over the horizon. Panicked citizens rushed to their homes, dragging their children inside with them. Cries of fear filled the air while legionnaires rushed about to occupy their posts.

Commander Dreadstep's office was quickly flooded with reports. The same issues resurfaced: some preparations were still underway, some units were under-equipped, the recruits were far from battle-ready.

"The wolven won't attack immediately after a long march," Dreadstep told his officers. "Squeeze every second for all of its worth. Expect them to begin siege preparations as soon as they come close enough."

Every officer saluted and headed off to take care of his group. Dreadstep leaned on his desk and folded his forelegs in front of him. 'This is the second time,' he thought. 'The wolven won't catch me slacking off this time.'


	23. First Blood

**Upheaval: Breaking Point**

**Chapter 23: First Blood**

From his aerial vantage point, Scarlet Rabbit watched the massive wolven forces arrayed before Bastion City. They had made their appearance during yesterday's dusk and they had continued marching and preparing throughout the night. By the time morning had arrived, the entire city had been surrounded.

The chaos and darkness of FangBreaker's fall had made it impossible to gauge the enemy's strength before. Now, with the rays of the morning sun breaking through the usually cloudy sky helping him, he could make his estimations.

Just a crossbow shot away from the walls was a veritable ocean of fur, fangs and claws. The wolven stalked the grassy plain, eyeing the city hungrily, pacing through the short grass and snarling at each other. They hadn't come just by themselves either. At the rear section of the army, Scarlet spotted a dozen or so catapults being dragged forward as well as battering rams, siege ladders, and mobile towers. The wolven had come equipped and they were setting up. It was only a matter of time until the first boulder struck the walls.

Scarlet then looked back to his side of the walls. Against the massive wolven army just outside, the Northern Equestrian Legion had the survivors of FangBreaker Fortress, Bastion City's garrison, and a contingent of new recruits. He grinned at the odds. This was going to be the battle of the century for sure. Several centuries in fact. When had been the last time things were this desperate? Likely, long before he had been born. All his time in the Legion he had been spent fighting in skirmishes with a patrol of pegasi or Vanguard's squad. This would be his first time being involved in a clash between armies. He was almost too giddy to land, doing so only when he noticed his captain looking up at him.

Scarlet also caught a streak of prismatic colors out of the corner of his eye. Rainbow Dash was hovering near him by the time he landed next to Vanguard. His grin spread a little wider. Here was something else that got him excited. Part of him was still reeling from the other day's race. A race that she had refused to consider. The same race that he felt like a winner, but not in a way she understood it. He had never thought he would ever encounter another pony who still appeared to be moving when he sped up and put his mind into it. Finally, a pony who just might catch Scarlet Rabbit. All she needed was a little time under Tailwind's wing, just as he had done.

"Those are a lot of wolven," Rainbow Dash said. She tried to sound confident, but there was a tinge of nervousness in her voice. There was no mistaking that quiver in her legs or that tremble in her voice.

"Steady yourself," Vanguard told Rainbow sternly. "You should be awaiting orders with the rest of your flight." He turned towards Scarlet. "Scarlet, we also have our orders."

Still grinning, Scarlet saluted and flew off while Vanguard ran in the same direction. After running a short distance however, he turned around. "Rainbow Dash!" he called out. "We'll win this and you can see for yourself how "cool" the Legion can be!"

* * *

><p>Rainbow made her way towards the northern section of Bastion City, where her flight had been assigned. The assurance from Vanguard steadied her nerves a bit though she still felt her heart beating quickly. She passed through street after street of ponies scrambling to get ready. Civilians had run into their homes. Carts of supplies were being pulled away into safe storage while weapons were being distributed. Rainbow touched the crossbow strapped to her harness. How long would it be until she started using it on actual enemies? An hour from now? A few minutes?<p>

"Get over here, recruit!" Tailwind shouted at Rainbow from the top of Bastion City's crenelated northern walls. The rest of Flight Dreadwing lined the walls with her, taking cover behind the ramparts with their crossbows already drawn. Following what she had been taught yesterday, Rainbow landed in front of her flight captain and saluted. "Take your post," Tailwind ordered.

While all sides of the city were facing a great mass of wolven, it was by the northern walls where they were concentrated. If the northern gates could be forced open, the wolven could easily swarm the city. Rainbow Dash looked around her. In addition to Flight Dreadwing's thirty pegasi, they also had another thirty from Flight Frostshear.

"Listen up!" Tailwind barked. "The commander expects the wolven to go for an initial rush to see if they can take the city in a single battle before settling in for a siege. It worked at FangBreaker and they have the mutts to spare. Our orders are as follows: settle in and make them pay when they come forward. You all know who to shoot first and how to work your way down their chain of command. Once they bring their engines closer, Flight Frostshear will provide covering fire while Flight Dreadwing will swoop in with these."

Tailwind motioned towards several sacks of small, ceramic spheres. Each sphere had a small pictogram for fire etched into it that glowed a dim orange.

"What are those?" Rainbow asked. The other members looked at her briefly as if she was an idiot, but they quickly changed to those expressions to understanding upon recognizing her.

"Firebombs," Tailwind explained. "The unicorn enchantments will light them up once the containers shatter and the chemicals inside burn long and hot. Don't use them on the wolven troops even if they're clustered. Aim for their siege engines or supply wagons. Is that understood?"

Flight Dreadwing saluted distributing the spheres among themselves. Rainbow Dash was just tying a small pouch of the firebombs to her harness when she heard a familiar voice behind her.

"Hey, RD, looks like you got stationed here too."

Rainbow Dash squinted at the pony who was talking to her. She recognized the voice, but the sight of this barded pony, no taller than she was, was a little confusing. She looked a little closer and saw the yellow mane and the green eyes underneath the metal champron. "Applejack?" she asked.

"What the-? It took you that long to recognize me?" Applejack asked. "I spotted you a mile away even in your barding!"

"The rainbow mane and tail is a dead giveaway even at two miles," a stallion said flatly as he walked over to stand next to Applejack.

"Don't be such a fuss-budget, Twocolt, I swear you sound like Rarity sometimes," Applejack said.

"Must be a pony with an unbelievable amount of common sense," Twocolt replied.

"So what are you doing way up here?" Rainbow Dash asked. "You don't even have crossbows!"

"Those wolven are going to bring along those giant ladders they've got over there and latch it to our wall here," Applejack said. "Our platoon got assigned to make sure they don't climb over and get'cha."

"So is Twilight here too?" Rainbow asked.

"I haven't seen her around. Maybe she got assigned somewhere else."

"We better get back to our posts before Iron Jaw throws the both of us off this wall," Twocolt said.

Applejack nodded before turning her attention back to Rainbow. "I'll see you later, Rainbow," she said. "Stay safe and alive."

Rainbow cleared her throat and grinned. "You too, Applejack," she replied.

"If you had a cutie mark, Twocolt, it would be a wet blanket," Applejack said from a distance.

Rainbow turned her attention back to the wolven army beyond the walls. Even she could tell that the wolven were getting agitated. They massed in front of the gates, snarling and barking themselves into a frenzy while their siege engines rolled into place. She tensed as hours seemed to fly by. She saw Tailwind make the signal to take aim so she loaded her crossbow and pointed it at the enemy. As she had been taught just yesterday, she looked for one of the bigger wolven. Size and strength often decided how officers were chosen among the wolven. It was a more difficult task than she had anticipated. Every time she spotted a big wolven, an even bigger one caught her eye. Then there were the enormous, white-furred wolven at the rear sections. Even from where she was, Rainbow could see their monstrous fangs and claws. Each one must be standing, at least, eight feet tall.

Rainbow's forelegs were starting to shake again, causing her aim to go all over the place. Gritting her teeth, she concentrated harder, forcing the fear down like a mouthful of that feed she had to eat on the way to the city.

A lone howl burst from behind the wolven lines.

At the sound of that howl, the wolven surged forward. They crossed the distance between them and the walls so quickly that Rainbow lost the one she had been aiming at and had to find another one in a panic.

"Fire!" Tailwind shouted.

Rainbow picked the nearest wolven and fired.

A barrage of bolts struck the wolven, knocking down those who were hit. Rainbow couldn't tell if she had hit anything. She saw some of the smaller wolven line up and pull out their own crossbows to take aim at her direction. Unlike hers, their crossbows were huge, about as tall as she was when stood up.

"Bolters!" Tailwind shouted. "Cover!"

Rainbow was already ahead on the cover part. She put her back against a rampart and waited for the telltale sound of metal striking stone. An enormous bolt flew past just inches from her cover.

"Reload!" Tailwind shouted.

Rainbow pulled out another bolt from her case and loaded it, pulling the crossbow's crank with a foreleg.

"Fire!" Tailwind shouted again.

Rainbow came out of her cover and aimed for the first wolven she saw. There was no time to be picky and the lecture yesterday as to which wolven to pick flew out of her mind. The wolven bolters were reloading and she didn't want a single inch of her body exposed when they fired. On instinct, she went for one of the smaller wolven with the enormous crossbows. It was winding up its weapon, using some kind of pulley to draw the massive string back for another attack when she saw her shot connect. The bolt plunged deep into its ribs and sent it tumbling towards its fellows.

Rainbow quickly went back to her cover, took a deep breath and waited. She wasn't just waiting for the sound of enemy bolts striking the stone and flying past her, she was also waiting for…something. The wolven she had hit was surely dead. She had even hit it at the exact same spot she had imagine she would hit her first wolven. The exhilaration was still ringing in her ears while her heart hammered wildly in her chest. 'That wolven is dead.' she repeated to herself. She had killed something. The wolven were vicious, monstrous creatures, but she had still killed. Once the exhilaration settled down, she braced herself for guilt, horror, something that would protest violently over what she had just done.

"Stop staring off, recruit!"

Rainbow looked to her side to find her flight captain right next to her with an angry expression. "They've got their catapults in place, get ready to take off!" Tailwind barked.

Rainbow looked around her to see that everypony from Flight Dreadwing were securing their firebombs and crossbows before flapping their wings. All of them except one. One of the new recruits was lying on his side just behind Tailwind. Rainbow swallowed and wiped the sweat from her forehead when she saw the wolven bolt sticking out of the poor stallion's neck.

The first flight of pegasi took off. They dodged and weaved through a barrage of bolts and fired back furiously at the wolven bolters below.

"Flight Frostshear is up!" Tailwind called out. "Get a move on!"

Rainbow Dash followed directly behind Tailwind as they took off. Flight Dreadwing flew past Flight Frostshear, then swooped in on their targets. Tailwind led the way, dropping a couple of firebombs on a nearby catapult. The spheres struck true, spilling liquid flame all over the wooden engine.

Rainbow Dash tried to do the same on the next catapult when a wolven bolt whistled past her face. Panicked, she forgot the target and dashed upward in an erratic pattern, desperately making herself impossible to hit for the bolters below.

"Rainbow!" Tailwind shouted. "Get back in formation!"

Her flight captain's angry shout brought some focus back to Rainbow. She swooped back down with a couple of firebombs in her hoof. Once she was close enough to one catapult, she hurled them with all her strength. The spheres shattered and another siege engine burst into flames. The wolven crew operating it snarled and barked while trying to put the flames out. Elated over her success, she flew back along with the rest of Flight Dreadwing.

A sharp pain to Rainbow's left hind leg brought her up short. For a single, horrifying moment, she thought that she had just been shot. She looked at the hurting leg and found blood trickling down from a gash. A wolven bolt must have flown past the leg and grazed it.

"Don't stop in midair, foal!" Tailwind shouted. She grabbed Rainbow by the barding. "It's just a scratch, now move!"

Rainbow Dash nodded. She followed Tailwind back to the walls. Behind them were several flaming catapults and a supply wagon. She was still waiting for the revulsion and despair to kick in, but all she was feeling was a mixture of fear and elation that made everything seem so vivid.

* * *

><p>While the two flights posted on the walls made a sortie, it was up to Applejack and her platoon to deal with the wolven trying to swarm them. The wolven brought their hooked ladders to bear, latching them on to the ledges to secure them. Snarling eagerly, they immediately started climbing up once a ladder was secured. By the gate, a battering ram was also in place. The wolven found it difficult to actually use it, however. Every wolven they sent to use it was cut down by bolts from the walls as well as rocks thrown from machicolations by the gatehouse's towers. A firebomb landed directly on the battering ram, lighting its protective roof ablaze.<p>

The first wolven who reached the top of their climbing ladders swiftly encountered the armored hooves of the wall's defenders. Applejack smashed her metal shod back hooves into the face of one wolven, knocking it senseless and sending it falling down on the rest of its brethren climbing just beneath it. All of the wolven that had been climbing up were dragged down, crashing on the ground in a tangle of flailing claws. Applejack rushed towards the ladder and unhooked it from the walls before the wolven could start climbing again. She gave the ladder a push to send it falling to the ground.

"And don't you try that again!" Applejack crowed over the fallen ladder and the frustrated wolven beneath. A bolt struck the rampart just a foot from her face. Surprised, she ducked as a couple more bolts followed.

"Oh sure, present your face for target practice why don't you?"

Applejack found Twocolt right next to her with his back against a rampart. A trickle of blood dripped from his right shoulder where a gap between the plates of barding was. "You're bleeding!" she said.

"Lucky wolven slipped in a swipe before I knocked him off his ladder," Twocolt grunted.

Before Applejack could reply, another ladder latched onto the wall just a few feet away from them. They both sprang into action. Around them, the rest of their platoon was fighting off even more wolven. A few ladders had been secured and the wolven continued to climb up through them.

"Watch out!" Twocolt shouted. One wolven jumped off a ladder and charged Applejack. She jumped aside, then slammed her shoulder against it to knock it down. Twocolt had already positioned himself by the its other side. He reared up as soon as it fell and brought both front tramplers on the wolven's skull.

Applejack flinched and look away as soon as she heard the sickening crunch of bone breaking. When she looked, all she saw was Twocolt kicking the dead wolven off the wall and scraping some of the blood from his tramplers onto the ground.

"Damn, I hear it takes forever to get the smell out," Twocolt said. Applejack could feel her stomach heave and it wasn't from the smell. Twocolt was a recruit just like she was, but the only emotion he seemed to feel about killing his first wolven was annoyance. "Want to start a-"

Before Twocolt could finish, a second wolven slammed to his side, its claws scraping against his barding. His head banged against the ground, stunning him. The wolven immediately went for the throat. "Help!" he cried out.

Applejack rushed forward and smashed her head against the wolven's side before it could bite. It fell heavily to the ground and struggled to get back to its feet. In an instant she was already standing before it. She smashed a trampler against its face, stunning it and making it squeal in pain. The wolven continued to struggle, however. Applejack smashed another hoof against it. When its claws scraped against the plate protecting her chest, she continued bring her hooves down, stomping over and over until it stopped struggling. She stepped back and nearly fell on her tail when she slipped on some of slick liquid on the ground. The wolven was dead and its blood was all over her front hooves, chest and face. She could feel vomit rising all the way to the back of her throat when she realized what she had just done.

"Thanks." Twocolt groaned as he stood up. "I thought I was done for there. That makes one actual kill for each of us."

Applejack turned on Twocolt. One kill each? Was he keeping score? Was this some sort of game? "Look here-!" she began.

Before Applejack could finish, Twocolt's eyes widened and he jumped towards Applejack, dragging her to the ground. Several bolts whizzed past them. To Applejack's horror, she saw one pony fail to duck. A couple of bolts found their marks on the poor legionnaire, plunging deep into his right flank. The force of the impacts hurled the pony to the ground where he lay crying out hoarsely for help. A pair of ponies began to drag him off the wall. A second pony dropped to the ground. There was nopony coming to her aid, however. A bolt had found a home in her skull.

The hail of bolts continued. Applejack quickly noticed that they were flying towards them at an even level instead of upwards. Pushing Twocolt off her, she looked towards where the bolts were coming from.

A massive, mobile tower was rolling towards the walls. Inside was a squad of wolven bolters that were shooting at them.

"Darn it!" Applejack shouted. "What are we going to do with that?"

"Stay down!"

Applejack recognized the voice. She turned towards its source and found Twilight Sparkle crawling towards where she was. Bolts continued to fly past them as Twilight made her way next to Applejack. Behind her, a squad of unicorns had joined them. They fired blasts of magical energy down at the wolven. Mage Captain Owlsight lifted one scaling ladder with telekinesis, even with a couple of wolven still climbing it, then hurled it away from the wall.

"We got to do something about that tower!" Applejack said.

"I have an idea," Twilight replied. She started concentrating on a spell.

When she began to feel the heat gathering around Twilight, Applejack backed away slowly. A sphere of coruscating, red-orange energy began to form just above Twilight's horn. "What is that?" she whispered.

"Fireball." Twocolt's voice also tinged with awe. "You sure you came from the same place as this one?"

For a moment, Applejack herself wasn't sure. Then she remembered that this was still Twilight Sparkle, the most magical unicorn in all of Equestria, they were talking about. "I'm sure," she replied with confidence.

"Recruit Sparkle!" they heard Owlsight call out. "Add more heat! Make it white hot before you throw it!"

* * *

><p>Deep in her concentration, Twilight only vaguely heard the warning from her mage captain. White hot? Wasn't that just an excessive use of magical energy? Fire was fire. All she needed to do was deal with the mobile tower, not test the limits of her spellcasting. "White hot!" she heard Owlsight call out again. Another bolt flew just above her. There was no time to ponder what the point of more heat was. She had to deal with that tower quickly. She waited for a pause from the barrage of bolts coming from the tower, aimed the spell at it, and released.<p>

The red-orange ball streaked unsteadily towards Twilight's target. She held her breath when it veered off slightly, but it managed to steady itself and land gently on the tower's top section, just before the feet of the wolven bolters.

The tiny sphere blossomed into a silent and powerful explosion, sending bits of burning wood flying in all directions. The bolters howled as they fell to the ground below. One of them managed to drop on top of the wall where it flailed about, howling and whimpering.

The world seemed to slow down for Twilight. The wolven flailed in slow motion, rolling on the ground in a futile attempt to smother the flames all over its body. She tried to tear her eyes away from the sight, but couldn't. The stench of burned flesh wafted towards her and the others, making her gag and retch. A few seconds more and the wolven flopped to the ground and lay still. The sight of the charred remains brought her to her knees. The screams from right after her fireball exploded were still ringing in her ears. She heaved to the side and vomited violently. The back of her throat burned with leftover vomit and nausea kept her from standing up. She saw Owlsight stand before her, but she didn't have the strength to look up.

"And that's why you make it white hot, recruit," Owlsight said. He didn't sound angry, just disappointed and concerned. "Make it hot enough so that you don't hear the screams and you don't see anything besides scorch marks and ash."

Twilight managed to look up in time to see the pegasi that had flown out come back. Behind them, there were smoking patches within the wolven army.

The battle continued to rage even with the mobile tower now smoking and useless. The wolven were persistent in trying to batter the gates down head on, but it was to no avail. The Legion defended the walls fiercely despite casualties and made their foes pay dearly for each attempt at breaking through.

Finally, after what seemed like hours, another lone howl rose from the wolven army's rear lines. As quickly as they had rushed in, the wolven began to retreat. It was time to settle down for a true siege.

* * *

><p>Rainbow Dash walked over to her two friends proudly. Despite a few hiccups, she had successfully completed her first battle. She was responsible for two burning catapults and she knew she had done her part in shooting down wolven attackers. Though there was much more fighting to be done, they had won this day. Seeing her friends alive and mostly unharmed put a smile on her face although the state they were in concerned her.<p>

Both Applejack and Twilight looked completely distraught. Applejack was doing her best to wipe off the blood on her barding with a rag. Her lips were settled into a grim line.

Twilight looked sick. She was lying on her belly, her face almost green with nausea. She didn't look up when Rainbow approached. Instead, she just stared blankly ahead of her with lightless eyes.

Rainbow couldn't help but wonder why she didn't feel sick or upset. In fact, she felt…exhilarated. They won. At the back of her mind, she knew that the wolven would come again. They burned down a bunch of siege engines, but there were plenty more at the rear lines. They didn't even seem to put much of a dent on the wolven numbers. They also didn't win this battle without casualties. She saw several pegasi get shot from the air. The wolven swarmed them as soon as they hit the ground. Yet, she was somehow able to put all those bad things to the corner of her thoughts and concentrate on fighting and winning. 'Is something wrong with me?' she thought.

Rainbow felt a hoof touch her shoulder.

"Not bad for your first battle, Rainbow Dash." Tailwind grinned as she walked past. "Next time, less panicking and more shooting, alright?"

Rainbow grinned back and saluted. She set aside her worries for now and focused on the tasks ahead: cleaning up, patching up the scratch on her hind leg, and sharpening her skills. There was so much more fighting ahead.


	24. Royalty

**Upheaval: Breaking Point**

**Chapter 24: Royalty**

Canterlot had stood as Equestria's heart for centuries. A bustling hub of commerce and culture, its white stone buildings and its carefully paved streets served as a model for other cities to follow. It was the home of Equestria's rulers: Celestia and Luna. Their beautiful palace, carved into the side of a magnificent cliff, saw to hundreds of visitors daily. Canterlot did not just serve as the heart of Equestria's economy and government. It also housed the Great College of Magical Arts and the Grand Library, making it the heart of Equestria's magic and learning as well.

And the ponies of Canterlot were proud of their city. Some ponies, especially those who lived in the rural areas, would say that it was a pride bordering arrogance. Indeed, some of the nobility who resided in the city did their best to serve as testaments to those beliefs.

But, for the past few days, the proud city found itself under a very dark cloud. Now, it was becoming the center of a slowly simmering unrest in Equestria.

It had all started with announcement of the banishment of Twilight Sparkle and her friends, a shock on many levels. Twilight Sparkle was Princess Celestia's student and confidant, the closest pony to Equestria's ruler for centuries, if not for all time. There were whispers that she was even closer to Princess Celestia than Princess Luna herself. There was also the mere idea of banishment, a punishment more befitting of an old mare's tale. Like tales of Nightmare Moon, the threat of banishment was more used as a method to scare foals, and sometimes adults, into behaving than perceived as an actual threat. No pony has been actually banished since Princess Luna and that was a thousand years ago. Now, six banishments occurred in a single day. What kind of despicable crime had been committed that merited such a punishment? How could a pony so close to the princess be the one to commit such a thing?

Five days had passed since the news of banishment. On the streets, rumors were everywhere. "It was a crime of arrogance, I tell you!" a light blue pony with a white and blue mane told a few listeners. "Twilight Sparkle was so proud of her magical power that she challenged Princess Celestia herself in an attempt to become Equestria's new ruler!" She reared up for effect, showing her wand-and-wisp-of-magic cutie mark.

A few ponies nodded in response. In the absence of any actual news of what Twilight Sparkle had done, they resorted to theories and hearsay. An attempted dethroning would be plausible. Twilight Sparkle's crime had to be as despicable as what Princess Luna had done a thousand years ago to merit a similar punishment.

This was but one small incident in Canterlot. Indeed, throughout Equestria. Other theories circulated: the ever-studious Twilight Sparkle had delved into forbidden knowledge and had to be banished, Twilight Sparkle had transformed into a new Nightmare Moon that had to be banished, Princess Celestia was in a very bad mood and ran into an ill-timed prank by her faithful student. The stories differed with each pony and with each telling.

Regardless of what story was heard or believed, the effect was telling on Equestria's population. Fear. In the space of a few days, banishment went from an old mare's tale to a very real threat. The Royal Guard had always been seen as a little intimidating with their golden barding and their stern demeanor, but now, they were a fearful sight.

Within the Royal Palace, the dark cloud that hung over Canterlot manifested at its strongest. Princess Celestia had begun holding audiences again, but the change in her demeanor was painfully obvious. No longer were petitioners greeted by a warm smile and a kind word that could make even the most frightened commoner tell his tale. Instead, they were faced with a princess who was only physically present. Her distracted gaze seemed to see things that nopony else could see and her voice seemed to come from someplace other than where she was standing.

* * *

><p>Despite the changes, Bright Shield, Pegasus Captain of the Royal Guard, strove to continue his duty as if nothing had changed. He was glad that the princess was, at least, up and about now. It was only recently that she didn't even leave her room, leaving the Royal Guard to turn away petitioner after petitioner. Now that news had spread that she had resumed her royal duties, the ponies that had been waiting restlessly outside were allowed to come to the throne room.<p>

Bright Shield had taken it upon himself to keep the strain on the princess to a minimum. Ponies with problems he deemed small were kept outside. The guards had to deal with more than one petty noble who took umbrage over being passed over. When two nobles insisted on seeing the princess, Bright Shield had them hurled outside the palace for their trouble. There was a particular sort of petitioner that he allowed in without any trouble and these were the ponies that had come regarding the six ponies that had been banished.

The six's immediate families came first. Then, almost the entire population of Ponyville. There was also horde of small animals led by a particularly angry rabbit and a cat, some well-known clothes designers, and a couple of pegasi from the famed Wonderbolts.

Then there were the Apples: Apple Fritter, Apple Pie, Apple Tart…by the time Bright Shield reached the end of that line, his stomach felt stuffed and he didn't even touch a single piece of food. All these ponies came for the same reason, to ask why the six had been banished and to request that they be forgiven and allowed to return home. The response from the princess was the same each time: their crime cannot be spoken of and it was up to them to return home. These ponies tried everything to change Princess Celestia's judgment: they recited litanies of praise for whichever pony they wanted back, they cried, some actually volunteered to take their place or join them. None of these things worked and today wasn't the first time they tried. They had been coming over almost immediately after the announcement had been made. Their efforts seemed to wear on Princess Celestia's fragile state to the point that Bright Shield wanted to chase them out. He did no such thing, however. It was not his place to decide where and when the princess's benevolence ended for these aggrieved ponies.

There was only one time among those who petitioned for the new exiles that Bright Shield felt that he had to take action. Some of the Apples who had arrived were dragging a cartload of pastries behind them while they made their way to the throne room. Bright Shield and his guards stopped them halfway through.

"What is the meaning of this?" he had asked. "Do you actually think you can bribe the princess with food? Is she some pet you can lure to the bath with treats? Make your pleas, but put those away!" He had expected the ponies to be a little intimidated and contrite. He hadn't counted on them cringing in fear at his reproachful words. He had to wonder how the palace's image could change so swiftly.

As the day began to end, Bright Shield remembered another situation. Princess Luna was missing again. The moon still rose in time, but the Princess of the Night was nowhere to be seen. He had dispatched guards to search for her, but Princess Celestia had them recalled. She knew where her younger sister was and there was no need to waste the Royal Guard's time. One by one, the petitioners were forced to return home empty-hoofed. Here was another unprecedented occurrence in Equestria. Never before had any pony come before Princess Celestia and returned home dejected.

"Hold it right there!" Bright Shield heard one of his guards call out. He hurried over to see what the commotion was about in time to see a couple of guards restraining a tall unicorn stallion intent on forcing his way to the throne room.

"What's going on here?" Bright Shield asked.

Before the guards could reply, the unicorn cried out. "My name is Sun Gazer! It is extremely important that I see that princess!"

"I'll be the judge of that," Bright Shield muttered. "What is your business here?" He looked closely at this Sun Gazer. The unicorn stallion had a bright yellow coat with a long, flowing, almost mare-like mane of orange. His eyes widened in surprise however, when he focused on the Sun Gazer's flank. This unicorn had no cutie mark!

"What I have to say is for the princess only!" Sun Gazer said between pants. He was sweating profusely and took deep and ragged breaths. "Let me through! Her life is in danger as we speak!"

Bright Shield's bewilderment upon seeing a full-grown unicorn stallion without a cutie mark melted away like morning fog. Here was something he had never expected to hear. Since the day he was promoted to the job, he never held the illusion that he would one day stand between Princess Celestia and mortal danger. Protecting the princess was officially in the job description, but one that was never expected to actually be something that a guard would do. Anything that could even remotely threaten Equestria's immortal ruler would plow through any squad of guards. His job was mostly ceremonial and administrative, giving the appearance that the princess was heavily guarded and dealing with lesser problems not worth the princess's time. That a matter that could threaten the princess's life would actually appear was hard to swallow. That somepony who wasn't even part of the guard would be the one to see and deal with it was likewise as difficult to accept.

Still, Bright Shield wasn't the one to take chances. Woe to this Sun Gazer however if his "urgent message" turned out to be a waste of time. "Let him through," he told the guards. Sun Gazer broke past him as soon as the guards let go. The doors to the throne room opened and Princess Celestia, who looked even worse than she did that morning, looked up.

"Bright Shield, did I not say that audiences were over for today?" Celestia asked. There was no displeasure in her tone, but Bright Shield knelt penitently anyway.

"Forgive me, your highness," Bright Shield said. "This unicorn is Sun Gazer and he says that he has something urgent to tell you, something that would endanger your life."

Celestia leaned forward and quickly noticed what was strange about Sun Gazer. "Where is your cutie mark, Sun Gazer?" she asked.

"Your highness, I come from a place where such things do not appear," Sun Gazer replied after bowing.

Celestia's eyes widened at this answer. She immediately turned towards Bright Shield. "Leave us, Captain Bright Shield," she said. "I will deal with this. Make sure that nopony so much as approaches this room while we talk."

"Understood, your highness," Bright Shield said. He left the throne room quickly and closed the doors behind him. He had his guards line the hallway just out of earshot of the throne room while he put himself in the middle of the hallway to make sure.

* * *

><p>Celestia stared at the pony before her. It was only a few minutes ago that she felt that somepony had broken through her barrier. Surprisingly, this one had arrived in the palace. "You are from the Barrier Lands," she said. "Why and how have you come here? You know that you are forbidden to come to this realm and that my brother will punish you with death for what you have done."<p>

"Your highness," Sun Gazer replied. "For Equestria's sake I will risk even Prince Terrato's wrath. I came here through this." He placed a large, dull gray sphere on the ground. Celestia easily recognized a mana battery. She was beginning to despise those objects. They had caused so much damage in such a short time. "I stole this mana battery so I can warn you."

"What do you mean?" Celestia asked. "Warn me of what?"

"Of your brother's plans! Your highness, even as I speak, your brother's plan to overthrow you goes on! He has conspired with Princess Luna to acquire the Elements of Harmony so that he can storm your realm and banish you to the moon!"

Silence fell upon the throne room. For a moment, Celestia simply stared at Sun Gazer in astonishment. It was as if his message was a bolt of lightning. The words had flashed before her, but their meaning was still rolling in. "You're lying," she finally said.

Sun Gazer looked up and quailed. Celestia could feel her legs tremble and knew that her face was not the sort she would show any petitioner. "Your highness…" he said.

"You're lying! Take back your lies or I will punish you myself!" Celestia's voice thundered across the room and reverberated through the walls.

"I do not lie, your highness!" Sun Gazer said, his forelegs rose in supplication. "Prince Terrato has allowed the wolven to penetrate the north to force you to allow him to send troops through the Heartland. Once his ponies have entered your realm, he plans to attack you with the Elements of Harmony at his side and rule all of Equestria!"

Celestia quivered and pressed a hoof against her head in a futile attempt to stem the tide of unwanted thoughts. "Terrato and Luna are my beloved siblings," she said. "They would _not_ turn on me like this!"

"Your highness, I beg your forgiveness for saying this, but…" Sun Gazer hesitated for a second before continuing. "Your sister has just recently returned from a millennium of exile. Your brother has been ruling the outskirts of Equestria for even longer than that. A thousand years is a long time…even for immortals."

"You know nothing of how my siblings and I perceive the centuries! The love between us is outside time, a constant that sustains us throughout our rule!"

"I cannot explain to you your siblings' motives, your highness, only what I have learned. Prince Terrato has planned this for a long time. He has convinced your sister to aid him, tricked her perhaps, and he has done the same with the Elements of Harmony. If his ruthless ambition is not stopped, he will bring all of Equestria under his hoof."

"And why do you tell me this? Do you not serve my brother as well?"

"I belong to a small group of loyalists in the Barrier Lands, your highness," Sun Gazer said. His chest puffed up as he said this. "We, The Order of True Equestrians, consider ourselves ponies of Equestria, not just the Barrier Lands. Thus, we are loyal to Equestria's ruler above all else, not just the commander of its army."

"What proof do you have of this treachery? I will not suspect my siblings on the word of a few ponies."

"I carry no physical proof with me, your highness," Sun Gazer said. "Look upon the events of the past few days and see your brother's hoof in them. All my group has are the notes of what our spies have seen and heard. Nearly all of the Barrier Lands support your brother. If we had done more, we would have revealed ourselves and we would all have been hanged for treason."

"You want me to believe that my brother and my sister have turned upon me without any proof?"

"Yes. This is all we can offer, your highness. For your sake, for Equestria's sake, we have risked so much just so I can be sent here. Please! You must believe our warning!"

"I will confront Terrato about what you have said," Celestia said. "If you are lying, I will hand you to his judgment. If you are telling the truth then…" Her voice quivered. "…then I will take steps."

Celestia's horn glowed briefly and the throne room's double doors swung open. "Captain Bright Shield!" she called out.

The Pegasus Guard Captain trotted forward and knelt. "Yes, your highness?" he asked.

"Take Sun Gazer to one the guest rooms so he can rest," Celestia said. "Make sure that he is comfortable. He is not to leave his room or talk to anypony about anything. Not even to you and your guards."

"Understood, your highness," Bright Shield replied. He trotted over to Sun Gazer and, with one last bow, the two of them left.

Now by herself, Celestia closed her eyes tightly. She refused to believe a word of what Sun Gazer said, but scattered events began to piece together in her mind regardless of what she wanted to believe.

There was the nameless unicorn who had succeeded in entering her realm centuries ago. She had sent out the Royal Guard to intercept him, but he had managed to escape. The guards reported that the unicorn had been severely wounded when they saw him and had used one final spell to disappear somewhere. Word of the Barrier Lands had not spread since that time and she assumed that this poor pony had died of his wounds somewhere.

This event would have been a mere isolated incident if Twilight Sparkle had not acquired a mana battery from what was presumably that unicorn's remains from what Spike had reported. Now, suspicions began to arise. Was that unicorn really a fugitive or had Terrato sent him on a suicide mission to bury a seed within the Heartland? A method for somepony within her realm to discover the Barrier Lands accidentally? The idea seemed farfetched. The mana battery could have been consumed by some other spell. It could have simply destroyed an unskilled unicorn who triggered it or it could have simply never been discovered. But Terrato had ages to wait. He could have also sent more triggers as time passed. Perhaps he already did.

But there was also Twilight's failed memory block. She had received a trigger from somepony. Now, that somepony could well have been Terrato himself, secretly sabotaging his own spells to "accidentally" spread information about the Barrier Lands. There was also Luna's secret meeting with him. Her little sister's reasons were now suspect. Even now, Luna had gone over to the Barrier Lands to aid their brother. Was that orchestrated as well? Was everything going according to Terrato's wishes? The wolven's recent success, Luna's departure, Twilight Sparkle's defiance…there were so many things happening at the same time. So many things that conspired to bring down everything she had tried to build. Were they all mere coincidences?

'I'm becoming paranoid,' Celestia thought. 'Terrato is violent and ruthless, a source of concern since we founded Equestria. But he is still my brother and he has sworn to defend Equestria, not take over it. What happened to Luna was a thousand years ago. We've put that behind us. The three of us are…the three of us…'

_"I am your defender."_

Terrato's words repeated themselves in her mind. He had said those words often back when the barrier had not been raised. He sounded so confident each time, dramatic even. He loved being dramatic and he loved showing off. It pained her to think that, all that time, it was all for show. How long could he have held a grudge? Did he seethe within his realm? Did he even feel worse than Luna? Her memories went back even farther.

_"I don't see why we have to watch over these short-lived, mortal ponies, dearest sister. Their bodies are soft, their minds are weak, and their hearts are frail. What is the purpose of caring for them anyway? Whether they live joyously or writhe in pain, father and mother will get them in the end."_

That was so long ago, around the time they decided to rule Equestria. Celestia remembered Terrato's hard expression softening when he shifted his gaze from the ponies that had been placed under their care to his older sister.

_"Personally, I'm not jumping for joy over it, but, if it makes you happy, I will defend them."_

And he did. Terrato hurled himself at their enemies with an almost reckless abandon that Celestia could barely understand. It wasn't long before the influence of all those battles on him concerned her. Not only that, he was sharing that influence with Luna. Ultimately, she had to make a decision.

_"I agreed because big brother agreed and he agreed because he'll agree to anything you say."_

Luna's words had hit Celestia hard. They took away support that she had thought she had throughout the centuries. Sun Gazer's words began to make sense. Perhaps a thousand years were long enough even for her immortal siblings. Worse, perhaps she never even knew them as well as she thought she did from the start.

The Royal Palace felt large and empty to Celestia. Not just the palace as well. It seemed that all of Equestria felt empty. A terrible, crushing loneliness weighed down on her. What if it was true? What if her dear siblings and her faithful student had all turned on her? She laid her head down on the cold, stone floor. She was all alone here in the Heartland, reigning over her little ponies by herself.

To stave off the horrible feeling, Celestia hardened her resolve once more. She was going to hear this from Terrato himself. If he had indeed decided to betray her, she would face him head on instead of closing her eyes and waiting for the end. Perhaps it was time for her to see what has been happening in the Barrier Lands herself.

But what if Terrato had been waiting for such a move from her? Had he prepared a trap? Was she caged within her realm without even realizing it?

A new emotion joined the crushing loneliness. Fear. She had associated fear with Terrato for a long time now: fear of what he had to go through, fear of what he was turning into. However, this was the first time she actually feared him. Her brother could be watching her realm this very instant. He had all the weapons he needed and he could attack at his leisure. Celestia stood up. She was going to have to confront her siblings, but steps had to be taken first.


	25. Other Battles

**Upheaval: Breaking Point**

**Chapter 25: Other Battles**

While the battle raged fiercely by the walls of Bastion City, a battle of a different sort began for the ponies further in. Civilians locked themselves in their houses to avoid the attacking wolven that might slip past and to avoid getting in the way of the city's defenders. Reserves stood at the ready should reinforcements be needed at any part of the wall. Patrols moved through the streets, keeping an eye out for infiltrating wolven. Though there was yet any combat within Bastion City, its citizens still considered it part of the battlefield.

Among the busiest parts of the battlefield was the medical ward where Doctor Redbrand and his subordinates tended to the steady stream of injured. They worked in an empty building close to the northern walls where the fighting was the thickest.

Work began almost immediately after the wolven howl signaled the attack. One unfortunate pony was carried into the ward with a wolven bolt through his right foreleg. Others soon followed: a unicorn with a gash across one eye, a pegasus with a crumpled wing, and bolt wound after bolt wound.

Fluttershy was quick to notice the disturbing trend among the injuries. More than a dozen barbed, wolven-crafted bolts lay in a pile next to her. Enough blood had dripped from their points to pool beneath them. "This is going to hurt, alright?" she would tell an injured pony. They would nod without speaking as they had some rope clamped between their teeth. Then, she would pull as quickly as possible. Each time, she would close her eyes involuntarily to avoid seeing the spurt of blood, but she could still feel the warm, sticky liquid on her hooves.

This time, they had proper disinfectants and plenty of bandages in supply so there was no need for burning, red-hot brands. Still, cleaning and bandaging had to be done swiftly. Patients were arriving at an increasing rate and the ward began to struggle to keep up. Redbrand's temper began to flare as the pace started exposing the inexperience of the new recruits in his division. He shouted at them when they fumbled with bandages or forgot a step in a procedure, all the while working on patients of his own.

Fluttershy felt sorry for the new recruits. She realized that she was in the same boat as all of them. They were newly brought into an understaffed, overworked division, and thrust into emergency after emergency. It wasn't fair that they be constantly yelled at. All that yelling was probably panicking them and causing them to perform even worse. Even she had felt the bite of a sharp reprimand from Doctor Redbrand when she took too long with a patient.

The senior medics didn't seem to mind the least bit. On the rare occasion that Redbrand yelled at them, they corrected what mistake they had been making without even a flinch. Fluttershy wondered if she would eventually reach that kind of state. As for now, she almost jumped each time she heard Redbrand call her out.

As the battle continued, more patients were brought in. Each time a pair of ponies brought a patient in, Fluttershy felt her heart skip a beat as she looked to see who it was. She dreaded the moment when one of her friends was brought in. Twilight Sparkle, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash were at the thick of the fighting. She knew that her friends were brave and strong: Twilight was the smartest and most magical pony ever, surely nothing could even catch up to Rainbow Dash once she started flying, and Applejack could take on anything with her hard work and determination. One look at the increasing number of laid up ponies, however, filled her with doubts.

"We've got a bad one incoming!" one of the senior medics called out.

Fluttershy looked to see what had happened. She and the rest of the ward had treated a lot of ponies who had been shot by bolters or badly torn up by the claws and fangs of the wolven attackers. The senior medics had never made such a comment. Just how badly injured was this one to elicit that remark?

A pair of pegasi brought in somepony on a stretcher. The darkening expressions from all the nearby senior medics and the horrified expressions on the recruits nearly froze Fluttershy's heart. She caught a glimpse of the injured pony's coat. Sky blue. A hundred protests reared up in her head while she pushed her way past some of the recruits to see who it was.

A clash of emotions brought her up short once she got a better look. To her relief, it wasn't Rainbow Dash, but a sky blue-coated pegasus stallion. Guilt quickly followed for feeling relieved even though there was still a badly injured pony. Horror and urgency were not far behind. The laid up pony was covered in enormous gashes and tears. One of his wings was crumpled while the other one was a bloody stump. Blood soaked the stretcher and the pieces of cloth that the pegasus carriers were futilely using to stanch the massive bleeding.

Nausea wrestled violently with Flutteshy's insides. This was bad. Not just bad, this was horrific beyond what she had ever seen and she had thought just moments ago that she was slowly getting used to the bad stuff. The injured pegasus's breathing was quick and shallow. His eyelids fluttered and his eyes were glassy and vacant.

"Move over!" Redbrand snarled as he went to the injured pony's side.

"Bolter clipped him on his way back from a sortie," Fluttershy heard one of the pegasus carriers tell a senior medic. "He flew right into the wall and fell into the middle of the wolven. They were tearing him up before Flight Dreadwing managed to chase them off long enough to get him out of there."

"Leave it to Dreadwing to never give up on anypony," the senior medic replied. "But I don't think there's anything that can be done for this one."

Fluttershy frowned at the answer. This pony needed help more than anypony else and here was a medic who was giving up after just looking! She looked towards Doctor Redbrand. If there was a pony he should be yelling at, it should be this one.

Redbrand, however, didn't pay attention to onlookers. He inspected the injuries, then went for something in his harness. Fluttershy expected bandages or some disinfectant. To her surprise, he pulled out the flask that he carried with him at all times.

"Here," Redbrand said. He unscrewed the metal cap and put the open flask against the injured pony's lips. The pony winced and drank several mouthfuls before laying back.

"It's medicine," Fluttershy said. "I see. That's why it tastes so awful. It has to be very strong medicine."

"It's brandy," A senior medic said in response. "For the pain and nothing more."

"But even if he doesn't feel any pain-!" Fluttershy protested. Before she could finish, she saw the injured pony's quickened breathing grow steady, then stop altogether. She rushed forward to try something, anything, but the senior medic held her back.

"King welcome you to the Eternal Herd, colt," Redbrand said to dead pegasus. He looked over to the ponies watching and snarled. "What's the matter with you ponies? Get back to work!"

The other medics scrambled to tend to new incoming patients. Fluttershy remained even as the dead pony was carried away. She tried to move, but found herself rooted to the spot. Another emotion welled up inside her, something that she didn't recognize right away. She turned her gaze towards Redbrand and finally put a hoof one what she felt: betrayal.

Doctor Redbrand was always angry and always shouting. She thought that it was because he was so dedicated to the point of being a perfectionist and the constant lack of resources as well as the inexperience of his coworkers grated on him. But that wasn't the case at all. He gave up on a pony who needed his skills without even trying. He wasn't a dedicated perfectionist, he was just a grouchy old stallion and a bully who shouted at his subordinates because he could.

She hadn't noticed that she was staring for a long time until Redbrand looked up. "I'm not your patient, Fluttershy!" he snarled. "Keep spacing out and I will have you whipped!"

A dark cloud hanging over her, Fluttershy returned to treating the next wave of injured. For the rest of the battle, some of the spring in her step was gone and patients had to go through slightly rougher treatment.

* * *

><p>The initial wolven rush ended just as quickly as it started. It wasn't so for Medical. Injured had kept on coming after news came that the wolven had backed off. It was already afternoon by the time Fluttershy finished with the last patient. The recruits and some of the senior medics collapsed where they stood, glad to be able to get some rest after a frantic first day of the siege. Redbrand watched them for a while, a frown still on his face. He opened his flask and took a pull from it before heading out. Still resentful, Fluttershy followed right behind him.<p>

The two of them were walking along an empty street when Redbrand turned around. "What do you want from me, Fluttershy?" he asked. "You should be resting up in case of an emergency."

"I can't believe you did that!" Fluttershy said. "How could you just give up on that dying pony without trying anything?"

"Easy. I assessed his wounds, determined what treatment can help, then decided that he was too far gone so I gave up."

"That was his life you were dealing with!"

"His life was gone!" Redbrand retorted. "The best that could be done was to ease his pain a bit while he died! What did you want me to do, Fluttershy? Patch him up desperately, then cry when he's dead? It would have been a waste of supplies and a waste of time to do so. We don't have a lot of those in case you haven't noticed!"

"So you let him die to save on bandages?" Fluttershy said. "I thought you were a good pony, but I was wrong. You're a cold-hearted pony who only cares about procedures and supplies, not the lives of others!"

Redbrand walked closer until he was but a foot away from Fluttershy. "And who's a good pony?" he asked with a glare. "You? You think weeping and getting angry over a lost cause makes you so much better?" His voice rose to a roar. "Well, you're wrong! You have a lot of compassion to go with your skills, Fluttershy, but you're arrogant! Arrogant at a level that is staggering if you think you can pull everypony from the brink of death each and every time! It's about time you learned some humility and if watching somepony die is what will do it then so be it! So be humbled! Be humbled by how fragile life is and how harsh the world is!"

With that, Redbrand turned his back so abruptly that something fell from his harness. Fluttershy glanced at it. It looked like a tuft of lavender hair tied up with a piece of yellow ribbon. She noticed Redbrand's hard scowl soften when he picked it up. "Be humbled," he said in a more subdued voice, "by how painfully imperfect you will always be."

_"The stallion's old enough to be your father!"_

Fluttershy hadn't really noticed before, but, right now, Doctor Redbrand did look much older than her. There were lines on his face, especially his forehead for scowling so much, and some stubble on his cheeks and chin. She was now aware that he looked tired and that she was intruding on time when he could be resting.

Redbrand tucked the ribbon-tied bit of hair back into his harness and walked away without another word. He took another pull from his flask, a longer one this time, leaving Fluttershy behind to stare at his back and wonder about what she felt about him now.

* * *

><p>In the southern section of the city, Hammer Chain's smithy continued to operate even with the fighting by the walls.<p>

"Put those molds out faster, Rarity!" Hammer Chain called out. "I've got a few more uses for them so they better not burn out because you're slow!"

With her telekinesis, Rarity dumped a bucket of water on the burning bolt-head molds. "Honestly," she said. "We've been making crossbow bolt heads all morning. Just how many of these things does the Legion need?"

"As many as we can make," Hammer Chain said. "You can read any Barrier Lands history book and you won't find any tale about some hero who was known for his legendary bolt, but the Legion goes through these so quickly, you'd think they were rocks that they just picked up from the ground!"

With the molds put out, Rarity dumped the cooled bolt-heads into a small pile and began to file edges and serrations on them as she had been taught just yesterday. "I suppose there are no stories of legendary bolt-head makers either?" she asked. She had no problem with engaging in small talk with Hammer Chain. Just yesterday, she was afraid that he was going to be gruff and no-nonsense like Mage Captain Owlsight. However, he enjoyed small talk even if it was over the loud ringing of his hammer striking his anvil. He showed an interest in what Ponyville was like and she was happy to oblige him with stories while she learned more of his trade.

"Bah! You'll find maybe a footnote or two about a smith, that's about it!"

Making bolt-heads made up their first lesson out of necessity. The Legion needed a lot of them and the sooner she could start helping, the better. Rarity didn't mind. She sharpened each head to a fine point and added the serrations neatly and precisely, paying attention even to the distance between each one. Hammer Chain didn't dissuade her from such a practice, saying that it's fine so long as she didn't lose much time.

With another pile of bolt-heads ready, Rarity lifted the pile with her telekinesis into a crate that was full of them. A lone bolt-head escaped her magical grasp, falling and skipping into a dark section of the smithy. With a grunt of annoyance over the magical drift's messing with her spells, she put the pile inside the crate, then headed over to the fallen bolt-head.

As she approached the section of the smithy however, her horn lit up with magic. Surprised and curious, she followed its pull to a nearby crate. "Hammer Chain, what's in these crates over here?" she called out.

"Those? Just some old projects," Hammer Chain replied. "What's the matter?"

Rarity opened the crate and discovered the cause of her magic's agitation. Inside the crate was a set of four six-inch long objects bundled together with a piece of cloth. She pulled out the bundle and removed the covering to find four delicately tapering blades. Along the flat of each was a small blue gem. No wonder she started detecting them. She lifted each blade with her magic, marveling at how light they were for their size. "Hammer Chain, what are these?" she asked in wonder.

Hammer Chain finally stopped pounding long enough to look. When he saw the floating blades, his eyes widened in horror. "You idiot, watch-!" he stopped and stared. "Well, that's interesting."

"What do you mean?" Rarity asked.

"Those are the mage-blades I helped Magical design. It was supposed to give unicorn magi a set of blades they can use to slice up wolven even at a distance. That way, even if all a unicorn knew was telekinesis, he'd still have a powerful weapon. The mana crystals embedded on them makes them easy to maneuver with telekinesis so a unicorn can move them swiftly and cut up his foes while remaining mobile and alert. The idea was scrapped, however."

"Scrapped!" Rarity said in shock. "Why would such beautiful things be scrapped?" She marveled at how gracefully she could move the blades and spun them slowly in a circle with the points outward.

Hammer Chain continued to watch in interest. "For one thing, the mana crystals work too well. Our testers flung them out of reach or even sliced themselves up when they tried to use them. They were also unstable. One moment easy to move, the next moment hard. The amount of precision needed to keep them in control was just too much for your average unicorn mage. When we tried them out without the crystals, the amount of telekinesis needed to maintain hold of a blade and maneuver it at a distance just took too much focus. The same reason why telekinesis isn't so useful in combat. Unicorns were better off learning on-the-fly spells like fireballs and lightning bolts."

"But they're not difficult to maneuver at all," Rarity insisted. She spun the blades above her quickly, making them dance about.

"I've noticed," Hammer Chain said. "Maybe it's because of those gems on your flank. Why don't you keep them, Rarity? You never know when you need to slice a wolven up."

"May I?" Rarity asked incredulously. "They looked expensive and well-crafted!" She didn't relish the idea of attacking wolven, let alone slicing them up, but she had to admit that having something to defend herself with would be reassuring. Especially since she lacked Twilight's magical power.

"Why not? They were just gathering dust anyway."

"Thank you. I'll practice with them when I have time."

"Good. I'd hate to lose a good apprentice because she skewered herself with my old failures. Now, back to work, you've got more bolt-heads to make."

With a smile, Rarity put the blades away and re-wrapped them in cloth before going back to work.

* * *

><p>While his friends fought by the walls or worked in their specific stations, Spike found himself wandering the streets of Bastion City. He wanted to stay by Twilight's side while she was off fighting the wolven, but Mage Captain Owlsight would have none of it. "The front lines are no place for babies, hmph!" Spike groused. He walked towards the southern part of the city, thinking that maybe he could help Rarity. However, the streets were unfamiliar and he soon found himself second guessing the paths he took. 'Great, now I'm lost.'<p>

The southern part of the city was quiet. Spike continued to wander about, hoping he'd chance upon the smithy Rarity was working in. He stopped when he heard loud scuffling sounds come from one alley followed by screams and howls. Curious, he ran over to the spot.

"Oh! Hey, Spike, what are you doing here?"

Scarlet Rabbit's voice emerged from the shadow corner of the alley, causing Spike to jump in surprise. "Scarlet Rabbit?" he asked. "What am I doing here? What are you doing lurking in an alley? Shouldn't you be helping with the fight?"

"Special Operations, remember?" Scarlet said with a smile.

It soon became apparent to Spike that he wasn't alone with Scarlet in the alley. As he looked farther in, he saw more legionnaires, including Vanguard Clash. They stood over the dead bodies of several wolven and twice as many ponies. Next to Vanguard was what appeared to be an uncovered sewer opening. "What happened here?" he asked.

"Just a little cleaning up," Vanguard said. As he spoke, another pony emerged from the opening, a dark blue unicorn mare who dusted herself off after being helped out by Scarlet. "Did you collapse it?" Vanguard asked her.

"Right on top of another group of them," the unicorn said with a smile. "The wolven won't be using that tunnel again."

"Just in time too," Vanguard said. "Let's hope Blaze Trotter's squad got to their target in time."

"Don't be such a worry wart," the unicorn said. "He'll be fine." She caught sight of Spike and inspected him curiously. "What's this?" she asked.

"His name is Spike." Vanguard replied. "He's a dragon who came along with the chosen."

"Dragon, hm? I've read that they preferred Western Barrier Land, not this frozen paradise." The unicorn lifted Spike up with her magic and held him up to only a few inches from her face. "Aren't you a cute one?" she said. Spike swallowed and tried to back away despite being helplessly caught in the unicorn's magic. He'd been called cute before, but not by a unicorn with such a cat-like playfulness on her face.

"Captain Nightcanter," Vanguard said sternly.

"Oh, relax. I'm not a freak," Nightcanter said. She put Spike back down. He immediately scampered near Vanguard.

"I can't be too careful with you," Vanguard replied. He turned his attention to Spike. "No mentioning this to anypony, alright?" he said.

Spike nodded. He looked at the dead ponies and realized that they hadn't been killed by wolven. There were no bite or claw marks on them. Instead, they had sword cuts, the sort that Vanguard's enormous weapon would leave. "You killed them," he said to Vanguard. It wasn't a question.

"Yes," Vanguard replied. He glanced coldly over the dead ponies. "Equestria has a lot of enemies, Spike. Not all of them will come with claws and fangs."

The lack of emotion sent a chill down Spike's spine. He hadn't known Vanguard Clash for long, but he had already believed that the grim, silent stallion was a good pony who saved Twilight from being mauled by a wolven. Right now, he was more coldblooded killer than kindhearted rescuer. He turned his gaze on the bodies even as the other ponies with Vanguard began to wrap them up in cloth to drag them away. It was less than week since he found out that Equestria had enemies. Now he had to worry about some of them being ponies? "Now, I'm starting to wonder how we've survived for so long," he muttered.


	26. A United Equestria

**Upheaval: Breaking Point**

**Chapter 26: A United Equestria**

The night following the initial wolven attack on Bastion City was far from a quiet one. Outside the walls, the wolven howled at the moonless night sky. Tonight was an expected full moon, a period which they revered. Instead, the sky was accompanied only by stars which responded to their howls with an uncaring twinkling.

Within the walls, the city was alive with sounds despite the day's battle tiring out many of its defenders. Families and friends grieved over the first casualties of what may well be a long siege. Mixing with the mourning were the small celebrations of those who made it through the battle, raw recruits marking a milestone in their path to becoming veterans of the Legion.

Amidst the sounds of the city, Applejack and the rest of her platoon made their way back from training. With the battle over by noon, they had resumed training for the rest of the day. Several recruits had paid for their inexperience with their lives and Applejack found herself in a smaller group. She was immensely relieved now that Pinkie had been transferred to Logistics. A small part of her was wishing that she had followed suit. Even with the washing, she couldn't quite get the smell of blood from her tramplers or her forelegs. She began to wonder if the smell was actually still there or she was just imagining it after going through the horror of today's battle.

To make her even more uncomfortable, the rest of her platoon, including Twocolt, didn't seem to share her trouble with what they had to do. One legionnaire boasted of taking down two wolven at the same time. Another one was talking about how he narrowly dodged a wolven bolter. Applejack mostly ignored the small talk among her fellows. She didn't have much of a story to share herself, having killed one wolven and thrown a bunch of them off the walls, and she didn't like the idea of taking so much pride in killing. A thread of conversation, however, caught her attention.

"Did you see that purple chosen unicorn during that fight?" one of the recruits, a mare named Slimblade, asked. "A few days in the Legion and she's throwing fireballs!"

"Yup, I saw it alright," a stallion recruit called Mossneck replied. "She took out a squad of wolven and burned down one of their siege towers. I heard that Special Operations is already eyeing her for recruitment."

"Hey, Applejack!" Slimblade said. "That purple chosen is your friend, right? Are all chosen unicorns that amazing with magic?"

"Naw," Mossneck said before Applejack could reply. "I heard that the white chosen unicorn did horribly during her tests and got sent to Logistics."

"Applejack?" Slimblade persisted.

"Chosen unicorns can be just as good as any unicorn out here," Applejack said. "But Twilight's extra special with magic. Why, she takes lessons from Princess Celestia herself!"

Mossneck snorted. "Well that explains it," he said. "She's the nag princess's pet unicorn mage!"

"That what princess's pet?" Applejack asked. "Did you just call Princess Celestia a nag?"

Mossneck raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, I did. What's the matter? It's a common expression!"

"It's a wrong expression! You don't call a princess of Equestria a nag!"

"Oh really? Then how about this?" Mossneck asked. His voice turned into a mocking sing-song. "All hail the Nag of the Sun!"

"Mule-faced monarch of Equestria!" Slimblade joined in with a grin.

"Out here we fight, then we poke fun!"

"Of the candy-coated despot, Celestia!"

Half the platoon chortled with glee while the others frowned at the antics. Scowling, Applejack was about to rush the two when she felt somepony grab hold of her barding and pull her back. She turned on the one who tried to stop her and found herself glaring at Twocolt.

"Unless you can make Princess Celestia appear and prove them wrong, you're wasting your time and causing an unnecessary fight," Twocolt said.

"It ain't right that they make fun of the princess!" Applejack protested.

"You're right," Twocolt answered. "They're ignorant. Let them have their sing-song fun. We know better."

Applejack allowed Twocolt's words to mollify her. He was right. It wasn't a good time to be starting fights. Still, she remembered the faces of those two recruits. She was going to confront them at some time. She and Twocolt broke off from the platoon. She was off to the quarters she shared with the rest of her friends although she wasn't sure why Twocolt continued to walk with her.

"So what you were saying about that purple chosen…" Twocolt began.

"Her name's Twilight Sparkle, not 'purple chosen'," Applejack said.

"Right. Twilight Sparkle it is. Was what you said about her true?"

"Course it was!" Applejack snapped. "When have I started lying?"

"Then why is she out here? Why are all of you out here? The most popular story is that you're criminals and didn't belong in the Heartland so Princess Celestia banished you out here, but that's not true now, is it?"

Applejack took her hat off sheepishly, dusting and inspecting it for bloodstains. "I'm not exactly the best pony to ask that," she finally said. "All I know is that Twilight was getting banished and I wasn't going to let her go alone."

"You let yourself be uprooted from your home to accompany your friend even though you didn't know why she was being banished?"

"Yup."

Twocolt put a hoof to his head. "Amazing," he said. "And I thought you couldn't get more reckless."

Embarrassed by her own answers, Applejack was more than happy to change to topic. "So why are you asking all these things now, Twocolt?" she asked.

"I wanted to make sure of something. To be honest, I'm still not that sure, but I'm going to take a chance with you."

"Only Vanguard can get away with that murky, dramatic talk, Twocolt. If you have something to say, say it plainly!"

Twocolt stopped walking. "Tell me straight out then, Applejack," he said. "How loyal do you consider yourself to Princess Celestia?"

"How loyal? Pretty darn loyal! As loyal as any pony can be!"

"Even though she banished you?"

Applejack hesitated. "I'm sure the princess had her reasons. I ain't gonna pretend I can completely understand somepony as old and as powerful as she is, but I can believe in her."

"Good answer," Twocolt said. "I'll see you around tomorrow, Applejack."

"What's this all about, Twocolt?"

"I'll tell you some other time. I'm pretty tired right now."

Applejack didn't buy the excuse, but she shrugged her shoulders and went on her way.

* * *

><p>Twocolt watched his friend for a while before moving on. He looked around to make sure that he wasn't being followed and ducked into one side street. From there, he moved through one tight passage to another, expertly navigating the twisting back alleys of Bastion City's darker sections.<p>

Finally, he found the place he was looking for: a small one-roomed house with a sturdy, locked door. He knocked twice and waited. A single knock came from the other side as a response. That was his cue to put his head close to the door and whisper "for the one and true Equestria."

The door opened and a yellow earth pony mare with a braided, bright green mane ushered him inside. "You're late," Verdant whispered.

"Sorry," Twocolt answered. "I had something else to do."

Verdant unlocked the trapdoor at the center of the small room, the house's sole feature when viewed by somepony who didn't know what it was for. Twocolt knew better. This unassuming house served as a meeting place for the Order of True Equestrians. It was an order he belonged to, an order dedicated to staying true to the oaths sworn by all ponies of Equestria since the founding of the realm. Twocolt had once believed that Prince Terrato and the Equestrian Legion as a whole remained dutiful to those oaths until just a year ago. His eyes had been opened since then and he saw the movements that the prince made underneath his show of loyalty. The Legion was about to rise up and seize power over all Equestria. It was up to the order to put a stop to it.

He descended a narrow tunnel into a large, stone-walled chamber where several ponies were gathered. The order itself was a small group compared to the Legion. They had members spread out among the cities of the Barrier Lands. The chamber was lit by several candles by the walls, casting everything in a flickering orange light.

"It's good to see that you made it through your first battle, Twocolt," one of the gathered ponies spoke.

Twocolt's eyes widened at the sight of the pony who had just spoken to him. He swiftly recovered and responded accordingly. "Thank you, Lady Bright Flame." He bowed before the pony who had spoken. Standing before him was a beauteous unicorn mare with a white coat tinged with gold and a flowing, golden mane to complement it. He was surprised to find Lady Bright Flame, leader and founder of the Order of True Equestrians, in Bastion City. She was the one who had laid out their purpose to remain faithful ponies of a one true Equestria, not just the Barrier Lands, and to continue to recognize Princess Celestia as their true monarch, with Prince Terrato as commander of the army, and Princess Luna as Celestia's second. It was Lady Bright Flame who had also discovered the correspondence between Prince Terrato and some of his highest ranking commanders that detailed a plan to allow the wolven to break through and set into motion a coup that had been centuries in planning. Now that Lady Bright Flame was here, Twocolt found himself worrying. The wolven at their doorstep, to have their leader here was dangerous.

"Do you have anything to report, Twocolt?" another pony asked.

"I do," Twocolt replied. "After spending time with one of them, I've come to believe that the chosen remain faithful to Princess Celestia and can be trusted. One of them is even her student! I've contemplated bringing one here, but I decided to let the order make the decision."

The ponies murmured among themselves. The arrival of the chosen had been a subject of discussion for quite some time. They were worried that these chosen were criminals and that Prince Terrato would easily convert them to his cause. For Twocolt to make such a bold statement…

"Your prudence is to be commended," Bright Flame said. "We will arrange a meeting with them as soon as possible. Gaining the support of these ponies will be beneficial for the order." Twocolt remained bowed at the praise even though he was beaming inside. "I must ask that you return to watching the chosen. Make sure that they are safe from Prince Terrato's so-called "traitors"."

"Yes, my lady," Twocolt said. He stood up and left, Bright Flame's compliment lending some spring to his tired legs.

* * *

><p>"My lady, is it wise that we trust Twocolt's judgment on the chosen so readily?" one of the remaining gathered ponies asked.<p>

"Twocolt has ingratiated himself well with one called Applejack," Bright Flame said. "Given some more time, he can be used to move them about in some ways, especially if they are as loyal to Princess Celestia as he said."

The other ponies murmured among themselves again. How Bright Flame knew the chosen by name went ignored. After all, she must have ways to gather information with ease.

"That is all well and good, my lady," the pony continued. "But perhaps you can tell us why you have personally come to this dangerous place?"

Bright Flame smiled and shifted her gaze towards the ponies around her. "I came here for three reasons," she replied. "The first is to personally thank all of you for the work you have done for the Order of True Equestrians. Your vigilance and your reports on all of the Legion's movements will ensure that Prince Terrato's rebellion will not succeed."

The murmurs took on a pleased tone while Bright Flame continued.

"The second is to tell you that we have successfully sent one of our own to the Heartland. By now, Sun Gazer has made it to Princess Celestia's palace to warn her of her brother's intentions."

"Praise be!" one of the gathered ponies exclaimed. "Now, Princess Celestia can take steps to put a stop to her brother!"

"Things won't be so easy," another pony said. "The princess will be loathe to believe that her own brother is planning on attacking her."

"I believe in Sun Gazer's ability to convince her!" a third pony exclaimed. "Lady Bright Flame wouldn't pick any pony to undertake such an important mission!"

"That's true," Bright Flame said. "Sun Gazer will have fulfilled his task regardless of whether the princess believes him immediately or simply begins to harbor suspicions. Now as for the third reason…" The doors to the chamber glowed, then slammed shut. Surprised, one pony tried to open it only to find it held fast. "Unfortunately, while Twocolt can still be used, the rest of you have become rather detrimental towards Equestria's unification. The Order of True Equestrians' Bastion City group will only serve to hinder the remainder of my plans here and must therefore be liquidated."

The murmurs turned to confused and alarmed cries.

"Liquidated? What do you mean, Lady Bright Flame?"

"Is this a joke?"

"The door won't open!"

"I'm afraid it's not joke," Bright Flame answered. "The best way to get a pony to lie for me was to convince him he was telling the truth. Bringing up Sun Gazer was your last task. Thank you again for all your hard work."

All it took was a single flash of black magic bursting from Bright Flame's horn to silence all the cries. There were no death screams or agonized moaning. When the magical light faded, the chamber was empty and a mana battery was floating before her.

"How unfortunate that most of the order here was discovered by Terrato's ponies, executed, and disposed of." Bright Flame said. "Luckily, Lady Bright Flame will have survived to tell you what you need to do later, Twocolt."

"L-lady Bright Flame?"

The door had opened to reveal one more pony still alive. Verdant stared in horror as Bright Flame's yellow-tinged coat slowly turned a lustrous black, as if ink was being poured all over her. There was another flash of black magic and Bright Flame was completely alone.

* * *

><p>While the rest of her friends were heading to bed, Twilight Sparkle walked towards a different location. The streets leading to the Grand Meeting Hall encountered frequent traffic so, naturally, it was among the well-lit places of Bastion City. She had decided to stop by and pay Princess Luna a visit before turning in. She had to admit to herself that she was avoiding the turning in part. She didn't know how much sleep she would be getting tonight, especially with the image of those burning wolven still in her mind.<p>

The entrance to the Grand Meeting Hall was guarded by two pairs of heavily barded guards. As she approached, Twilight saw the entrance doors open and a familiar pony stepped out. "Vanguard!" she called out to him.

Vanguard seemed surprised to see her. "Here to talk to Princess Luna?" he asked.

Twilight nodded. "Just going to see how she is," she said. "I also wanted to ask her about this moonless night. It's supposed to be a full moon."

"I wouldn't recommend disturbing her at the moment," Vanguard replied with a shake of his head. "She's in the main hall, focusing on some spell. My guess is that she's blotting the moon out with her magic and it's taking a lot of concentration."

"Why would she want to blot out the moon?"

"The wolven are especially crazy during the full moon. Even I feel a little different during these times. Blotting the moon out could lower the chances of them trying something tonight."

"I'd better not bother her then," Twilight walked next to Vanguard and the two of them headed back to the building they were staying. "So what were you doing there?" she asked.

"I made my report to Commander Dreadstep," Vanguard answered. "Special Operations has been pretty busy, you know."

Twilight wasn't sure what to say to that. Applejack didn't want to talk about what had happened when Vanguard asked her out. She tried to talk about something else. "Say Vanguard…"

"Something on your mind?"

"When you first killed a wolven, what was it like?"

Vanguard stared at Twilight before answering. With a moonless night and only a few streetlights for illumination, his red eyes did seem intimidating. Especially when she thought of the hundreds of hungry wolven eyes staring at the city this moment. "Frightening," he answered. "And it's not just because I was fighting for my life."

"Frightening?" Twilight asked. "Why?" She had imagined Vanguard's first kill to be a matter of course for him. She couldn't imagine him afraid or horrified after killing a wolven. The ponies of the Barrier Lands certainly made it seem as if doing so was just another task to them. Indeed, it was hard to imagine him being afraid or horrified at anything. He projected such a stoic and unflinching image that it seemed that nothing could possibly shake him.

"You killed your first wolven today," Vanguard replied. "I imagine that it must be the vilest thing you've had to do."

Twilight looked away. The scene with the burning wolven kept playing in her mind. She could smell the horrid stench that wafted towards her and hear the last whimpering sound the wolven made before falling still.

"In a way, I envy that revulsion," Vanguard said. "It means you're a good pony and acts of violence and killing take you out of your element so your body protests."

It was Twilight's turn to stare at Vanguard. As always, he sounded sincere about what he was saying, but how could anyone feel envious of what she was feeling right now?

"When I first killed a wolven, I felt…invigorated," Vanguard went on. "My first instinct was to find another one and kill it too."

"Then it wasn't a problem to you," Twilight said. She tried to hide the dismay in her tone. She had somewhat expected such an answer. Vanguard was, after all, a high-ranking legionnaire. He must be used to killing and was prepared for it since he was a colt. He must think of her as pathetic for being so weak-kneed over this.

"It was," Vanguard continued. "I was terrified for feeling that way. I wanted to feel guilty and sick. Instead, I enjoyed it. You were reminded that you are a pony when you had to kill those wolven, Twilight Sparkle. Take solace in knowing that you won't turn into a savage beast so long as you feel that way."

"Is it because you're part wolven?" Twilight asked.

"I would love to blame it on blood," Vanguard said. "But I'm responsible for my actions. That's why I have to control myself at all times. Right now, I'm thankful that Princess Luna is blotting out the moon. I wouldn't want to have to deal with it while doing what I have to do right now."

"And what's that?"

"Killing other ponies."

Twilight remembered Cold Hoof lying on the hard, rocky ground with a knife he put in his own chest. "Are there more ponies like Cold Hoof out there?" she asked. "I thought that only a few ponies bore that kind of grudge."

"I was naïve," Vanguard said. "I wish you could have seen the Legion during some other time, Twilight, back when we all seemed to stand together. Right now, you're really seeing it at its worst. I'm starting to agree with you in that this division has to be ended."

"Is it that bad?"

"The Legion cannot stand like this forever," Vanguard replied. Though his gaze was still on Twilight, she felt as if he was looking at something else, recalling some other event. "I've been thinking about it and I've realized that this couldn't have happened just overnight. The Legion has been in danger ever since the division was created. We've been complacent for too long by thinking that this is the way it should be."

"It shouldn't be how things should be," Twilight said.

"And now we're paying for it."

"What do you think will happen now, Vanguard?"

"I haven't cared much for anything save doing my duty, but that's not going to be enough to pull the Legion through this. The prince will be arriving soon. I hope he has a plan."

Twilight looked up at the moonless sky. She had seen new moons before, but Equestria's sky seemed even darker than usual tonight. "I hope so too."


	27. Monarchs

**Upheaval: Breaking Point**

**Chapter 27: Monarchs**

The morning after the initial wolven rush greeted Bastion City with a biting cold wind. Twilight Sparkle found herself shivering on her bed. She sat up with a start and looked around. The rest of her friends were already up and clothed. Spike sat by one corner, breathing a steady stream of green flame on his claws to warm himself up. "Morning, Twilight," he said.

Twilight looked out a window to find snow falling on the streets. "I thought winter was a week or two away," she said.

"It was," Vanguard Clash answered from the doorway. As always, he was already wearing his barding. Scarlet Rabbit was hovering in mid-air next to him. "Prepare yourselves quickly. This snow is a very bad omen." He went ahead with Scarlet, leaving Twilight and her friends to ponder on what he said.

"A bad omen?" Rainbow Dash asked. "What's he talking about?"

"Dunno," Applejack said. "They're expecting us by the walls anyway."

The others looked at Applejack. Like Vanguard, she was already in her barding and tramplers, ready for another day's duty. Her gear was clean and carefully polished once again. Polished with spit, much to Rarity's disgust. Most of them thought that it was because Applejack was proud of her barding and wanted it to look as perfect as possible. Twilight guessed that there was more to it than that, however. She had seen Applejack desperately wiping off the blood that covered her barding and knew that it wasn't just pride and necessity that fueled this cleanliness.

Applejack was the most heavily armored in their group and the sight of her was a daunting one indeed. Her face and coat were barely visible between the gray plates of metal. While she wasn't as covered as Vanguard Clash, there were few ways to recognize her: the glimpse of green past her champron, her blond tail, and the occasional sight of her orange coat. There was one thing that really made Applejack stand out, however. She kept her hat where it always was. The effect was a little silly, but it helped keep some of her appearance's familiarity.

"It's too cold for flying into a fight!" Rainbow Dash said. She flapped her wings a few times to get some blood circulating. Like Applejack, she was also wearing her barding. A set of leather ones, much to the discomfort of the others, especially Fluttershy.

"Tell me about it!" Rarity added. "It's going to be a pain starting up Hammer Chain's forge like this!"

"I hear a lot of complaining but you look rarin' to go, RD!" Applejack said.

"Of course!" Rainbow Dash answered with a grin. "I still have to make a name for myself!" She looked over to Twilight, who had just finished putting on her mage-coat. "Twilight here's the talk of the recruits. Everypony's impressed by how she fireballed that siege tower. I can't fall behind that!"

Everpony stopped and fell silent after Rainbow Dash said those words. "I didn't cast that spell to impress anypony, Rainbow Dash," Twilight said quietly. She pressed her lips together tightly. The reminder alone brought a whiff of burned flesh to her nose and the echo of a dying howl to her ears.

There were no words said, but Rainbow Dash took a few steps back as if she was expecting them to attack her. She looked around for allies until her eyes settled on Applejack. "Hey, Applejack, you know what I'm talking about. I'm sure the ponies in your platoon are still all over how awesome Twilight was!"

Applejack didn't meet Rainbow's gaze. "This ain't a contest, RD," she said. "And if it was, I ain't hankerin' to be called 'Best Wolven Killer' any time soon."

Rainbow Dash looked around again to see if anypony at all was even on the same page as her. Nopony met her gaze. She cringed for a moment, then straightened herself. Her eyes went from guilty and nervous to hard and proud. "Well, I am," she said. Her voice rose as she went on. "'Best Wolven Killer' sounds like an awesome title to have!"

Twilight's eyes widened at hearing that. "Rainbow Dash-!"

"It's you girls I don't understand! Why are all of you moping over having to kill wolven? They're trying to kill and eat all of us!"

"It's not that simple!" Twilight said.

"Oh yeah?" Rainbow retorted. "Yesterday, one of the recruits I was flying with got shot down on our way back. The wolven jumped on her as soon as she hit the ground. I saw one of them run off with her wing in its mouth! Another one carried off a leg so it didn't have to share with the rest of them!" Her voice lowered. "They're monsters and I don't feel bad about killing them at all. In fact, I'm glad to be able to fight and kill these things." She held her crossbow and made her way to the door. "Now, I'm going to get some more practice so I can kill even more of them! You can all sit here and feel sorry for monsters!"

Before anypony else could respond to that, Rainbow Dash had already flown off. Twilight could only look worriedly towards Rainbow Dash's direction.

_"…seeing my subjects become more like them…"_

Twilight drew her cloak around her tighter. The cold of the Barrier Lands seemed aggressively chilling, as if the air itself took delight in stealing warmth from others. She had been through many winters, but this one filled her with foreboding.

"What in tarnation is wrong with that mare?" Applejack snapped. "She didn't need to blow up like that!"

Twilight let out a sigh. "I hope we can talk about it later. I have to go too. They're expecting me by the walls."

"Same here," Applejack said.

"And I as well," Rarity said. "Well, not by the walls, but you understand." She joined the two by the door.

"That's it?" Pinkie Pie asked. "We haven't been spending a lot of time together these days!"

"It can't be helped, Pinkie," Twilight said. "All of us now have duties to attend to. I'm sure even you're expected to be at the kitchens first thing in the morning."

"That's true," Pinkie mumbled. She looked at the floor for a moment before brightening up. "I know! We should plan some kind of party when all of us don't have any duty!"

"How about after we drive the wolven away from the city?" Twilight suggested.

"Victory celebration," Applejack added. "I like the sound of that!"

"Then it's settled!" Pinkie said. "I'll tell the others in the kitchens! They'll love it!" She ran out of the door ahead of them.

Twilight looked over the room. With Pinkie gone, that left…just Spike. "Where's Fluttershy?" she asked.

"She was out of here before you even woke up," Applejack said. "She looked pretty determined to get back to work. Makes me wonder what happened yesterday."

"I suppose Fluttershy being determined should count as good news," Twilight said. "Are you going to be alright, Spike?"

"I'll be fine," Spike answered. "This time, I'm going to make it to Hammer Chain's smithy to help out!"

"Come along then, Spike," Rarity said. "Your breath should be handy when it comes to lighting that forge." Spike didn't bother hiding his excitement when hopped on her back as she trotted out.

"So Twilight…" Applejack said.

"Hm?"

"No offense, but you have been pretty awesome lately. Is it true that you got Special Operations ponies talking to you?"

"What? Of course not! I wasn't that good. A lot of ponies fought hard during yesterday's battle!"

"Really?" Applejack raised an eyebrow. "No invitations? You walked in with Vanguard last night. Didn't he say he needed a unicorn mage in his squad?"

"He didn't bring that up at all," Twilight insisted.

Applejack shrugged in response. "Oh well. See you later then, Twilight."

Twilight watched Applejack walk off before heading for her post. Snow continued to fall steadily, covering Bastion City in a thin carpet of white. As she walked through the streets, she noticed the expressions on the other ponies, noting that she wasn't the only one who found the snow foreboding. Some of them looked outright frightened. They saw something in this change of weather that she didn't.

"Recruit Sparkle!" One of the unicorns in Twilight's unit called out to her from atop the walls. "We're on boulder catching duty for this morning, remember? Get to your position!"

As soon as she reached the top of the wall, Twilight headed over to her partners by one part of the wall. Mage Captain Owlsight had instructed them yesterday about "boulder catching". Unicorn magi were positioned all along the walls to "catch" the boulders hurled by the wolven catapults with their telekinesis. They were not required to stop the boulders from hitting the walls, but they should be able to slow each boulder down with their combined efforts, weakening its impact and saving the walls from too much structural damage. It was a dangerous task, as Owlsight was quick to warn them. The danger of being squashed by an errant boulder was a real one, as was getting sniped by a wolven bolter.

Twilight gradually grew accustomed to watching out for boulders and snipers while working with two other unicorn magi to slow each catapult shot. How easily she was able to slip into a rhythm, however, disturbed her a bit. The wolven army did not seem particularly devoted into their catapult firing. She could also hear a steady beating of drums coming from their camp as well as a constant howling. What was going on?

"I don't like this one bit!" she heard Owlsight grouse as he walked past her. "What are those mutts up to? This snow is making me think that-!"

Before Owlsight could finish, the steady drums and howling erupted into a frenzied pace. A chilling wind picked up and rose to a howl of its own. Twilight drew her cloak around her even tighter.

"Terrato's blazing mane, it's true!" one of the unicorns near Twilight whimpered. "He's here!"

Before Twilight could look at whoever had spoken, a wave of fear washed over her like a torrent of ice-cold water. She fell to her knees, her teeth chattering and her heart racing. There was…something out there. Some feral, primal thing just beyond the walls and the gathered wolven and it was coming closer. She forced her knees to unbend and stand. Each inch was a desperate uphill battle, but she made it. Then, she looked around. The other ponies by the walls were also affected. Most of the recruits were cowering while the older veterans were rooted to the spot despite holding up a little better. She looked over the ramparts to get a better look. The wind had somehow worked itself up into a blizzard. It was almost impossible to see anything on the plain. All she could see were dark shapes where the wolven had gathered. She noticed that they had parted to let something from their rear lines. She squinted and tried to see, but all she saw was an enormous silhouette.

* * *

><p>On another section of the northern walls, Rainbow Dash had fallen flat on her belly while the wind howled all around her. An unnatural fear was crushing her heart with cold, unrelenting fingers. She looked around to see that many ponies had also fallen to the ground in a shivering panic.<p>

"Get up, Rainbow Dash," Tailwind said just beside her. Even Tailwind's voice was subdued and difficult to make out from the fierce wind. "At least, catch a glimpse of the enemy."

Rainbow picked herself up and used the rampart's ledge to keep herself standing. She was so terrified that she hardly felt the physical cold of the snowstorm. She looked at the plains below to see what was causing this.

Out on the plains, a lone enormous figure had walked past the wolven front lines. Rainbow could barely make anything out, but the shape and outline told her that it was a wolven. That realization alone terrified her further. This was a giant wolven. From the size and distance, it had to be at least twenty feet tall. It stopped within crossbow range, but nopony from the walls was taking a shot. The wind would have made it impossible, but there was nopony among them even willing to try.

Then the giant wolven looked up.

Rainbow felt as if her heart had stopped when she caught the giant wolven's gaze. A lone, red glowing eye seemed to look at her, look straight through her. She found herself gasping for air. The cold raked her lungs with each breath. All she could manage were short gasps. It was just less than an hour ago when she was talking about killing wolven, now she seemed so insignificant to the might of their army. What was that monster? All it needed to do was look at her and she was half-dead from fear! There's no fighting that thing! No walls or weapons were even going to slow it down! The city was doomed and everypony within was going to be torn to pieces and eaten.

"W….w-what is that?" Rainbow managed to croak out. She doubted that anypony even heard her, but Tailwind turned around to answer. Rainbow could tell that Tailwind was also feeling the incredible, crushing fear that the monster just below was radiating.

"The King of Wolvengard," Tailwind answered. "Fenrir, the Ravening Fangs of Winter."

As if to punctuate Tailwind's answer, the monster let out a long, dolorous howl that put even the ferocious wind to shame. Rainbow felt herself blacking out from terror. The world grew dim and the howling seemed to lessen in volume.

A clarion call of a neigh brought her back to consciousness at the very last moment. Rainbow's eyes flickered wide open and her ears perked up. What was that melodious, uplifting neigh? The oppressive fear melted away and she was able to stand up with no problem. Amazed cries around her made it clear that the other ponies felt the same way. She looked towards where the sound had come from and was greeted by the impressive sight of a mighty gray alicorn hovering just past the inner side of the walls. She recognized the coat and the blazing mane. This was Prince Terrato. She had only seen him once and only through a magical image. To actually see him was…she couldn't find the words. Even the wind seemed at awe before the Prince of Equestria. It had died down to a steady breeze.

"Our prince is here!" one of the pegasi along the walls cheered. "All hail our prince!"

"Hail Prince Terrato!"

"Hail the Grand Prince of the Earth!"

Prince Terrato answered the cheers with a grim smile and a nod before flying past the walls to land just in front of Fenrir. Princess Luna followed suit and accompanied him.

Now that the snowstorm had stopped, Rainbow finally caught a good view of King Fenrir.

The King of Wolvengard was a truly massive beast. He dwarfed even Prince Terrato and that was without having to raise himself on his haunches. His fur was a very dark gray, almost black, and it did little to hide the powerful muscles along his neck, shoulders and flanks. His enormous, scything claws dug deep into the ground in anticipation. He had kept his jaws closed until Terrato and Luna approached. Afterwards, he let them hang open. Wicked, curving fangs lined his mouth, each one white and razor sharp. Saliva dripped from his jaws and fell on the ground. Whenever he let out a breath, a great cloud of whiteness escaped from his nostrils. What held Rainbow's gaze however was his eye. King Fenrir glared at the world through a single, bright red eye. His left eye was missing and the blackness of the empty socket seemed to go on forever.

Rainbow held her breath as Terrato and Luna approached until they were a few feet away from Fenrir. Was there going to be a fight? Was the fate of this siege going to be decided by combat between their rulers?

* * *

><p>Standing so close to his ancient foe, Terrato felt a little nostalgic. It had been so long since he had confronted Fenrir like this. Ever since the pact, the two of them had barely seen each other. The thought of missing the giant wolven was amusing. "Why are you here, Fenrir?" he asked.<p>

Fenrir's gaze quickly turned from Terrato to Luna. He lowered his face and sniffed at her direction, eliciting a shudder of disgust from her. "It's been so long since I've caught fair Luna's scent," he answered. His voice was a deep, rasping tone followed by what sounded like a frigid, howling wind. "A year without it is painful enough, but cursed Celestia tortures me with a thousand! After so long, I had to see for myself when I caught the scent once more."

"You came all the way here and frightened my ponies for a smell?" Terrato asked. He took a sniff towards Luna's direction. "It's not that fantastic."

"Big brother…" Luna said.

"You understand nothing!" Fenrir growled.

"Watch your slobber!" Terrato growled in return. "And stop boring me with your infatuation! Why come here yourself? Do you plan on breaking our pact?"

"Let us make a new pact!" Fenrir said. "Your Legion is on the defensive and my army is on the rise. Surely, you will listen! Let us make a new pact while your eldest sister is not here to impose her will!"

"Make your case then," Terrato replied cautiously. "What kind of pact are you proposing?"

Fenrir focused on Terrato shrewdly."Give me fair Luna as my bride and I will leave. All of us will leave."

"Luna isn't mine to give!" Terrato answered. "If that's all your 'new pact' is-!"

"Wait!" Luna interrupted. Both Terrato and Fenrir looked towards her. She swallowed and stepped forward. "If I…go with you, do you promise to never attack Equestria?"

"No wolven will so much as take a single step into this land so long as you remain with me," Fenrir replied. His growling voice could barely contain his eagerness.

Terrato tensed. It looked like Fenrir might go so far as to rush her if he couldn't control himself. He drew Luna aside and whispered to her harshly. "What are you doing?" he asked. "Are you seriously considering marrying him?"

"If it means putting a stop to centuries of war, yes."

"Celestia will not allow this and that means I can't allow it either."

"I am a princess of equal standing to both of you. I'll decide for myself what I can and can't do. My only regret will be if it turns out that I could have done this at the start."

Terrato let out a sigh. Once more he had mixed feelings about Luna's new-found assertiveness. "You used to be terrified of being so much as a hundred miles of him," he said.

"That was a long time ago. I can do this, big brother."

"What is this whispering about?" Fenrir growled. "Are the two of you going to plot right before me?"

Luna took another step forward so that she was right before Fenrir. The smell of his breath and the sight of his gaping maw sent a shudder through her, but she held firm. "I will be your bride, King Fenrir," she said. "if you promise that you and your wolven will never again be a threat to Equestria."

"I will," Fenrir said. He looked ready to pounce on her, but Terrato took a step forward as a warning. "It will be part of our wedding vows in Wolvengard."

"Then-!"

Before Luna could continue, Fenrir's ears perked up. With a snarl, he jumped to the side as a massive beam of pure white light struck the ground where he was. The fallen snow vaporized on contact and the ground charred and melted into red hot goo.

Aghast, both Terrato and Luna looked to where the beam had come from. Their gazes went directly towards Bastion City. The beam had come from one of the taller buildings. Terrato recognized the spell as a simple light beam magnified to suit the power of only one caster he knew who favored it. Luna seemed to recognize it as well. To their misfortune, so did Fenrir. His sight caught a figure of what seemed to be Celestia standing on the roof. He recognized the mane and the wings, but something was wrong…

"Treachery!" Fenrir snarled. "Cursed Celestia hides her scent, then hides behind her younger sister to assassinate me! Coward!"

"That's not true!" Terrato shouted. "Calm down, Fenrir!"

The entire wolven army was in an uproar and the ponies along the wall followed suit.

"Your sister is full of guile and filth, Terrato!" Fenrir snarled. "I will honor our pact for the shred of honor that you have, but there will be no more negotiations! I will kill you and Celestia! It is the only way I can be sure that Luna is not a trap!"

"Wait!" Terrato called after the giant wolven. "This is a mistake!" It was too late however. Fenrir had rejoined his army, dodging and weaving to avoid anymore light blasts.

"Moon-Shadow!" Terrato heard Fenrir bellow.

Luna could only look on, stunned. "Damn!" Terrato struck the ground with a hoof, sending shockwaves in all directions. He started to fly back to the city. When Luna delayed in following him, he shouted after her. "Come on!"

* * *

><p>Twilight Sparkle caught a good look at the powerful blast of light as it streaked past her and towards King Fenrir. Amidst the confusion, her first reaction was to trace the spell's source. To her horrified surprise, she saw what appeared to be Princess Celestia standing on top of one of the buildings. Realizing what the blast had caused, Twilight concentrated on a teleportation spell. The distance from the top of the walls to the building was great, but she had to reach that spot before the princess left. A flash of purple light enveloped her and, in a second, she was standing on the building's rooftop.<p>

"I had to do it, Twilight Sparkle," she heard Celestia's voice say. "Luna was going to marry that monster and Terrato was going to go along with it!"

Twilight grit her teeth and tried to steady both her breathing and her legs. The teleportation and the magical drift had all but drained her completely. "Drop the act," she snapped. "I've known the princess far too long to be fooled by it. Who are you? Why did you do this?"

"Clever. As expected of Celestia's favored pupil." "Celestia's" voice changed in the middle of the sentence into a softer, slightly deeper pitch. The image of a regal, white alicorn with a flowing, multicolored mane dissolved into mist. Twilight squinted to get a good look, but to no avail. "That was an impressive teleportation, Twilight Sparkle," somepony said. Twilight felt a chill run down her spine as she heard it. "But you've overexerted yourself and underestimated the potential enemy that awaited you at your destination. If I attack you right now, I can kill you with ease, then drink your life at my leisure."

Twilight tried to wave the mist away with a hoof. "Who are you?" she asked again. She saw a glimpse of black within mist as well as a hint of a shape. She was talking to a pony. A black-coated pony. The voice belonged to a mare and the magic made it a unicorn.

"I'd hate to pluck such impressive talent before it has had a chance to bloom. I'll see you again," the black-coated unicorn mare said. The mist dissipated, but there was nopony on the roof besides Twilight.

"Twilight Sparkle!"

Twilight looked behind her to find both Prince Terrato and Princess Luna landing on the roof.

"Where is she?" Terrato demanded. "I know an impostor when I see one!"

"She's gone, your highness," Twilight said.

"Who could have done this?" Luna asked. "And why?"

Terrato walked over to the spot where Twilight had last seen the mysterious unicorn. He seemed to have noticed something on the ground and bent over to pick it up. It appeared to be a long strand of crimson. The sight of it seemed to plunge him into a shadow.

"I know who," Terrato said softly. Wearily.


	28. Laws and Punishments

**Upheaval: Breaking Point**

**Chapter 28: Laws and Punishments**

The arrival of both Prince Terrato and King Fenrir to the battlefield brought mixed reactions to the ponies of Bastion City. As any settlement of the Barrier Lands would be, Bastion City was honored to receive its prince and, at the same time, terrified of the implications. It had been centuries since Terrato last entered a battle personally, but his last battle for FangBreaker Fortress still lived in infamy within the city's records. Ponies of the Barrier Lands often referred to "The Unyielding Gray Sentinel" when referring to their prince as testament to his role in protecting Equestria. "Harbinger of War", however, was just as accurate.

The Grand Meeting Hall was easily converted to Terrato's audience hall after the morning's incident. Inside, he stood at the center of the hall with Luna. Also part of the meeting was Dreadstep, Commander of FangBreaker's survivors, Snowsteam, the mayor of Bastion City, Galefeather, Commander of Bastion City's garrison and, curiously enough, Recruit Twilight Sparkle.

"Our supplies will hold us well into spring, your highness," Snowsteam reported. "Even with the additional ponies from FangBreaker."

"That may be because we are lacking in defenders," Galefeather added. "Even with the drafts, we will be sorely pressed to deal with a wolven army this size."

"I had expected that the city closest to Wolvengard to have more reserves," Terrato said.

Galefeather bowed low in response. "Forgive me, your highness. Yearly recruitment has been on a decline for the past few years."

"Convenient timing," Terrato muttered. "I'll leave the city's maintenance to the two of you. Keep those supplies guarded and the city safe. I don't want to hear about some 'accidental' fires or contamination. "

"Yes, your highness."

Terrato waved a hoof to dismiss the two. They bowed low and left the audience hall. With them gone, he turned his attention to Dreadstep.

"And there I was just days ago telling you how I don't need to be constantly breathing down your neck," Terrato said. "Sorry about that, Dreadstep, that was about as idiotic as asking 'What could possibly go wrong?'."

"I accept full responsibility for FangBreaker's loss, your highness," Dreadstep said as he knelt. "I am ready to pay with my life."

"And what could I possibly do with your dead body?" Terrato asked. "You wouldn't even make good catapult ammunition."

Dreadstep didn't reply.

"Enough theatrics. I'm not going to kill you, Dreadstep. Now, what's this I hear about saboteurs?"

"Special Operations has already started cracking down," Dreadstep said. "We've killed several of their cells and captured some of them."

"What have you learned?" Terrato asked.

"The traitors still have more cells within the city. From what we've gathered, this is another Black Rose rebellion."

Terrato still held the strand of hair in his hoof. He put it close to his nose and breathed in. He could smell perfume, a light scent of wildflowers growing on the peaks of the Western Barrier Land's verdant mountains. It was his favorite scent. Of course, she knew that. "Not just another Black Rose rebellion," he said. "We're dealing with Black Rose herself."

"Black Rose?" Dreadstep looked surprised. "As in the same Black Rose you killed centuries ago?"

"Yes, that same Black Rose," Terrato replied. "It's not exactly a popular name."

"I beg your pardon, your highness, but isn't she dead?"

"She was," Terrato said. "But the signs are here and I know her hoof-work. Keep your eyes open, Dreadstep. Ensure the loyalty of every pony investigating these traitors. I want them rooted out and hung before they get out of control. Treat this matter as urgently as you would those dogs just outside our gates."

"I will, your highness," Dreadstep said. The old earth pony matched Terrato's gaze without flinching, much to his approval. With Equestria's safety at stake, Terrato had little room for failure, but he had followed Dreadstep's career through victories and defeats and he knew that the commander will find a way to earn redemption from this loss. Even if it meant wading through the wolven as a final expiation.

"Big brother, who is this Black Rose?" Luna asked.

From her spot, Twilight Sparkle's ears perked at the name. Terrato's approval turned into irritation. Ever-curious Twilight Sparkle now wished to delve into Black Rose's story. He wouldn't have allowed her in here if he didn't have some business with her. He let out a sigh. "To put it simply, Black Rose was my Twilight Sparkle," he replied.

Twilight Sparkle raised her gaze. She looked in disbelief at Terrato, likely wondering if he was joking. Even Dreadstep leaned forward to hear well. Terrato decided to treat their eagerness as considering it an honor to hear the prince's own account of an important event. Not because they were annoying busybodies.

"What do you mean, big brother?" Luna asked.

"The analogy isn't perfect, of course, but it's pretty close. A long time ago, I discovered a unicorn mare with a ridiculous amount of potential. I took her under my wing and she became my protégé. Does that story sound familiar, Twilight Sparkle?"

Twilight nodded.

"Potential isn't good enough a word," Terrato continued. "Everything that she did, she did perfectly. Every battle was a victory. Every campaign was a success. She had the ursans on the retreat, the wolven too scared to attack and the ophidites slithering into hiding. I was happy to delegate authority to her. At her prime, she ruled almost all of the Barrier Lands in my name."

"That sounds too good to be true," Luna said.

"All good things come to an end. Black Rose eventually decided that she didn't like Celestia's division. She expressed her disagreement and I punished her. Just like Twilight Sparkle, am I correct?"

Twilight nodded again. Her eyes told him that she wanted to know more. He had oversimplified. That should be obvious enough to everypony in the hall. To go into details would be painful. Even hearing Black Rose's name stirred up an old ache inside him.

"If things were that simple, we wouldn't be dealing with her now," Luna said. She shared the same look as Twilight Sparkle.

"Things…got complicated," Terrato said. His casual tone had disappeared and his melancholy deepened. "I had let Black Rose get too close. I trusted her too much and allowed her access to knowledge that she shouldn't have. The resulting mess shames me to this day. I had to put a stop to it. Unlike Celestia, I don't go for exiles and imprisonments. There was only one way to put an end to the matter."

"You killed her," Luna said. "But she survived that somehow."

"And now she's back," Terrato said. "If she plans to push through with her plans from before then her objective will be Celestia."

"What does she want with the princess?" Twilight asked.

Terrato shot her a stern look. It was becoming more and more obvious to him that Celestia spoiled this mare. She had no sense of when to speak up and when to sit down and shut her mouth. "Black Rose wants Equestria not just united, but united under her. To accomplish that, she plans to slay Celestia and absorb her power."

"That's impossible!" Luna said. "No mortal pony can hope to take on big sister! Just even thinking it-!" she stomped her hoof on the ground in anger.

Twilight quivered with suppressed anger as well. For once, Terrato approved. Despite being banished, Twilight Sparkle still cared deeply for her mentor and likely wished for the impending demise of any pony who dared to try to kill Celestia.

"What will you do now?" Luna asked. "You can't allow this Black Rose to even try!"

"Don't tell me things I already know!" Terrato said. "I will deal with Black Rose just as I have dealt with her in the past. Before that, I'm going to settle two matters right now."

Terrato's horn glowed with gray light as he unleashed his magic. Twilight gasped as she found herself high in the air, helpless in his telekinetic grip.

"Big brother, what are you doing?" Luna asked. She stepped forward to intervene, but a look from him made her hesitate.

"What's the matter?" Terrato asked Twilight. "Celestia's gifted protégé should easily break my magic, right? You certainly had no problems with my memory lock!" Twilight flailed helplessly in the air for half a minute before he dumped her unceremoniously on the ground. "Apparently, my analysis isn't entirely true. You can't break my magic, Twilight Sparkle. At least, not without help. You had a trigger that let you break my memory lock. What was it and who gave it to you?"

Twilight froze, then looked around. She stank of desperation. Terrato had half a mind to start beating her against the floor to set her straight. "I…I can't tell you, your highness," she said.

"Why not? " Terrato asked. "You have a working mouth don't you? So much for ponies being creatures of honesty then!"

"I was the one who told her, big brother!" Luna said.

"And how did you know where Twilight Sparkle had been up to? Celestia wouldn't have gone around blabbing about it! Obviously, it was because she showed you something she found!" Terrato turned towards the commander of FangBreaker's defenders. "Dreadstep, bring me the ponies who came in contact with Twilight Sparkle the first time she came to my realm!" he ordered. He quickly amended that order. "The ones still alive that is."

Commander Dreadstep bowed before hurriedly leaving the meeting hall. From her spot, Twilight quivered and closed her eyes. The sight of such quailing only grated on Terrato. Several minutes passed before Dreadstep returned with two stallions: a red pegasus and a black-barded earth pony. The two stepped forward and knelt before their prince. Terrato looked them over before speaking. "Let me get to the point," he told them. "Which one of you gave Twilight Sparkle the trigger to break my memory lock?"

The pegasus looked confused. He clearly had no idea what Terrato was talking about. The earth pony, on the other hoof, had no such problems. "It was me, your highness," he replied. "I gave her my legionnaire emblem to help her remember."

The upper corners of Terrato's lips curved slightly. "Lies from the chosen, honesty from a pony outside Celestia's realm. How about that? Take off the champron and tell me your name and position, legionnaire."

The earth pony quickly did as he was told. The champron fell to the floor with a clang. "Captain Vanguard Clash of the Northern Equestrian Legion, Special Operations, Third Squad," he said.

Terrato's eyes narrowed as he got a closer look. "I recognize you, Vanguard Clash. You're Sharpfangs's colt. I spared your grandfather's life and he repaid my trust by turning into a murdering rapist. Now, you've compounded some interest in that payment with betrayal. A pity too. That nightsteel fullplate barding you have on means you accomplished something truly meritorious for my Legion."

Twilight stood up and stepped forward. "Your highness-!"

"Quiet!" Terrato boomed, causing the floor and the walls to reverberate. "You may be Celestia's favored student in the Heartland, Twilight Sparkle, but you're a bottom-rung legionnaire here! Now sit still and let me lay down my laws!"

Twilight fell on her tail, stunned and shaking. Whatever protest she had was drowned out by the blast of sound. The entire hall fell silent at Terrato's thunderous outburst. After a few seconds, he spoke again. "Tell me, Vanguard Clash, how is spreading information about the Barrier Lands to the Heartland classified as a crime and what is the appropriate punishment?"

"Spreading information about the Barrier Lands to the Heartland is considered treason, your highness," Vanguard replied. "To be punished by death through hanging."

"Smart boy," Terrato remarked. He turned his attention to Dreadstep. "What are you waiting for? Hang him."

"Hanging?" the red pegasus exclaimed. He flew up and was about to charge when Vanguard caught him and forced him down to a kneeling position. "Hanging? Then you'd better hang me too if the captain's hanging!"

"Your highness!" Dreadstep protested. "Vanguard Clash is one of our most reliable legionnaires. Perhaps-!"

"He made a clear confession and the law is even clearer," Terrato interrupted. "I didn't open this matter for debate, Dreadstep."

"Big brother, let us hear him out, at least!" Luna said.

"Fine. Explain yourself, Vanguard Clash. Why did you give her a trigger to break my spell?"

"I have no excuses, your highness," Vanguard said. Even with his fate already laid out before him, he spoke in a calm tone. "I gave her the trigger so she may remember everything that happened to her."

"At least somepony is trying to make this easy," Terrato remarked.

"Your highness, please!" Twilight cried out. She stood in front of Vanguard's kneeling form, her forelegs outstretched in a futile attempt to defend him. "There's nopony more loyal to you than Vanguard! He doesn't deserve to die for what he did!"

"Did you do it to break my sister's barrier because you opposed the division?" Luna asked desperately.

"No," Vanguard replied. "I did it for Twilight Sparkle's sake. That's all."

"This pony is loyal to you," Luna said. "The battle will be hard enough without us hobbling ourselves like this."

Terrato didn't reply at once. Instead he looked Vanguard over, who did not so much as flinch from the scrutiny. He was beginning to like how this developed. "I will accept that what you did was a horribly stupid mistake, Vanguard Clash," he finally said. "One born of temporary insanity. I can relate to that." He glanced at Luna. "I will consider the facts that the damage did not spread beyond Twilight Sparkle and her friends, that you intended the damage not to spread, that my little sister has some interest in keeping you alive, and that we do need every loyal pony alive. In light of all these things, I am compelled to change your sentence from a traitor's death by hanging to a slap-on-the-fetlock public flogging."

A collective sigh of relief escaped Luna, Twilight, and Dreadstep.

"Sixty lashes will do."

"Your highness, that is still a death sentence, a much more painful death sentence if I may add!" Dreadstep said.

"True," Terrato said. "Forty is the limit so we don't kill them. I will allow Twilight Sparkle to take as many as she wants from those sixty and apply them to herself." He raised an eyebrow as his gaze swept his audience. There was no reason to punish Twilight Sparkle for her part in this whole mess. Celestia had already banished her. That should be punishment enough. But the Twilight Sparkle also left Celestia in despair. He felt that he should take some measure of vengeance just for that. More importantly, Twilight Sparkle was currently showing something that he could admire. He was willing to bend the law to see just how far she would go to protect the things she cared about. "Is that satisfactory?" he asked as he stopped on Twilight.

"I will take half," Twilight replied without any hesitation.

Finally, the mare did something that didn't give Terrato the urge to smear her on his hooves. "There you go," he said to Dreadstep. "Thirty each. A slap on the fetlock for treason. Now get out there and enforce my will!"

With one more bow, almost everypony left the meeting hall, leaving Luna alone with Terrato. "Is there no mercy at all in you, big brother?" she asked.

"That was mercy," Terrato replied. "They're alive aren't they? You have to temper your mercy with some sort of justice or you'll never get any laws respected. Now, it's time I settle the other matter. You've done plenty in my realm, Luna: you secured Twilight Sparkle and her friends, you've made an attempt to negotiate with Fenrir, and you blotted out the full moon to suppress the enemy. There can only be more fighting at this point and I can't have you involved in this. It's time you went back to the Heartland."

"What?" Luna asked. "No! I can still do much here! I can fight!"

"If you so much as kill a single wolven, Celestia will never forgive me."

"Why does she get to decide what I can and can't do?"

"You are in my realm, Luna!" Terrato said with a glare. "Here, you will respect my decisions. If you want to help, blot out the full moon from the Heartland. I need you to stay by Celestia's side in case Black Rose tries anything!"

"No!"

"Don't argue!" Terrato roared. He quickly checked himself. "I need to be assured that Celestia has a sibling by her side. I can't do my duty while constantly having to worry about her!"

"Then go to her side!" Luna insisted. "Or better yet, have her come here and stay by yours!"

"You already know why I can't do that," Terrato said softly.

"You say that big sister won't forgive you if you let me fight, but the truth is that she's never forgiven you for going out to fight yourself. She's afraid of what you've become. Isn't that why you never visit her in the Heartland?"

Terrato didn't reply. Luna's eyes widened.

"Is that why you let Black Rose get so close?"

"Not another word, Luna," Terrato growled. "Or I will show you what exactly I've become."

Luna began to walk out of the hall to leave her brother alone. Before she walked past the doors however, she turned around one last time.

'How can we mend the rift between the Heartland and the Barrier Lands if we can't mend the rift between you two?'

* * *

><p>The walk from the Grand Meeting Hall to the main plaza was a short one. A short one, at least, for most ponies who had the leisure of not expecting something horrible once they reached their destination. For Vanguard Clash and Twilight Sparkle, the walk felt like a humiliating parade that had no end in sight.<p>

"Thirty lashes!" Vanguard said. "Thirty lashes for something you had no part in!"

Walking next to Vanguard on her way to the main plaza, Twilight Sparkle frowned at him in response. "No part in?" she asked. "What was that 'for Twilight Sparkle's sake' you were talking about? The last time I checked, I'm Twilight Sparkle!"

Vanguard shook his head. He had been stripped of his barding which Scarlet had taken for safekeeping. The red pegasus had been overjoyed that his captain wasn't going to hang and had flown off promising to have a bottle of booze ready to help with the pain. Around him, the guards that accompanied them made no reaction towards the bickering between him and Twilight. A group of curious citizens was now following the odd procession down the street. "At least change it to twenty for you and forty for me," he said. "I've been under the whip before while your back is as fresh as a newborn's."

"It's thirty for the both of us," Twilight insisted. She put on a brave front, but the thought of what was going to happen made her quail inside. Vanguard was right. She had never been whipped. She had never even thought that such a thing could happen. Now, she was going to take thirty lashes in a single day. Part of her wanted to back out and just pray that Vanguard could take sixty lashes. Another wanted to take his offer and have the number reduced. Between the two, a third one remained steadfast. 'Thirty,' she thought. 'Thirty is fair.'

The two of them stood at the edge of the city's main plaza. By the time they got there, they were already being followed by a crowd. "Twenty five, thirty five," Vanguard suggested.

"Stop haggling like you're buying vegetables!" Twilight whispered harshly. Vanguard's offers were weakening her resolve. She had to stop him before he succeeded. She looked over the crowd and wondered if any of her friends was going to watch. "It's thirty-thirty and that's final!"

They were led to a spot with several wooden posts jutting from the ground, then prodded to take their positions. Both of them were given coiled bits of rope. Taking her cue from Vanguard, Twilight placed hers between her jaws, trying to ignore the thought of other ponies having done the same to the unwashed piece of rope. She reared up, hugged the pole, and swallowed as she saw a pair of earth pony stallions walk into position while holding coiled whips. Two more ponies came up and bound their forelegs securely to the poles.

The time between her biting into the rope and the first lash stretched out to breathless eternity. Just as Twilight was starting to think that there was something wrong, the first lash struck her between her shoulders.

The suddenness of the strike nearly made her drop the rope. Searing, white-hot pain lanced through her back and buckled her legs. Tears sprang from her eyes. She nearly fell to the ground, but she remembered that that was just one. There were twenty-nine to go. She glanced over at Vanguard just as he took his first. He clamped hard on his rope, but his face didn't even change expression when he was struck.

Twilight braced herself just in time for the second strike. 'Two,' she thought. A third one struck in rapid succession. She felt something trickle down her back. The fourth one struck low. Through the haze of pain, she realized that it had struck her cutie mark. Were the star symbols going to be forever marred by a scar? The fifth and sixth strikes burned the thought out her mind along with anything else she could think of. By the tenth, or at least she thought it was the tenth, she was no longer sure if she was counting right. She cried out between her teeth. Her jaws were clenched so tightly that she feared that the bones would shatter. The pain sapped the strength from her forelegs. There was a fire raging on her back, an unrelenting blaze that tore off shreds of her skin and flung them away with smoking hooked claws. Her forelegs let go at one point, but the ropes held her in place securely. Her vision dimmed and she gazed at Vanguard weakly, her mind still making futile attempts to recall just how many she had received and how many more were coming.

The lashing continued anyway.


	29. A Thousand Years

**Upheaval: Breaking Point**

**Chapter 29: A Thousand Years**

"Look she's waking up!"

"Quiet down, Pinkie! And don't crowd her!"

"Oh, thank goodness!"

It took some time before the garble of concerned voices untangled themselves for Twilight to recognize. She was lying belly-first on something soft, a bed most likely. The last thing she remembered was agonizing pain and waiting for the next lash, then…nothing. She opened her eyes weakly and tried to stand. Her back protested immediately, making her wince and stay down.

"Don't move so much, Twilight Sparkle, you're not fully healed yet."

That was Princess Luna's voice. The haze of pain cleared up enough to let her see some blurry colors: Princess Luna's dark coat against gray, stone walls, Rainbow Dash's mane, Pinkie's tail...

"She's up! Does she need anything?" Fluttershy asked. "Doctor Redbrand gave me something for the pain."

"I don't think sipping brandy's gonna do Twilight much good, Fluttershy," Applejack said. "She's been out a long time. Ain't no need to knock her out some more."

"Stay still, Twilight," Spike said worriedly. "Just keep resting until your injury's gone."

A minute passed before the haze lifted. Twilight saw that she was back in their shared quarters with all of her friends surrounding her. Immediately, she tried to get a feel of her back. She braced herself for the rough feel of scars or even the moist, painful feel of still-fresh wounds. Surprisingly, she only felt a bit of roughness. The pain was still there upon touching them, but not as much as she had expected.

"How are you feeling?" Luna asked. The youngest princess of Equestria was standing next to her bed while the others were crowded around her.

"Awful," Twilight groaned. She tried to rise again and winced at the second attempt. "Not as awful as I thought I'd feel though," she amended. That was when she realized that she was sheathed in Luna's dark purple magic. The princess's horn was aglow with power. "Princess?" she asked.

"Surprised at your recovery?" Luna asked with a smile. "Give me a little credit, Twilight Sparkle. I am Princess of the Night. Most ponies only think of shadows and monsters when my domain is mentioned. They tend to forget that it is also the time of rest and regeneration."

"It's really amazing!" Fluttershy said in admiration. "Your back looked horrible when they first carried you here, but it's only been a couple of hours and it's looking much better!"

"Yeah!" Rainbow added. "From the look of it, you wouldn't believe that you just got lashed eighteen times!"

"There will still be a few marks," Luna told them. "Healing magic works with the body and the body isn't perfect."

Twilight stretched her back a little in disbelief. "Healing," she said breathlessly. "I found a few obscure references when I was studying Conjuration, but that was about it and-!." She paused when she remembered Rainbow's comment. "Wait a minute…eighteen? I was only lashed eighteen times?"

"Woah there, partner!" Applejack said. "Only? You're making it sound like a bad thing."

"You fainted after the eighteenth," Luna said. "My brother put a stop to it after that. The rest of the lashes went to Vanguard Clash."

"That leaves forty-two!" Twilight exclaimed. She looked around in a panic. Prince Terrato mentioned that forty was the limit to make sure that the pony being punished survived. "Where's Vanguard?"

"He's fine, dear," Rarity said. "He's over there."

Twilight followed Rarity's hoof and spotted Vanguard's sleeping by the corner of the room. Like her, he was also surrounded by Luna's magic. Twilight smiled. For once since she had known him, Vanguard Clash looked vulnerable. A half-full bottle lay by his bedside table. Still, she was concerned about what he had just gone through. "They lashed him forty-two times?" she asked. Prince Terrato had called what he had done treason. She knew that he was going to get into trouble for what he had done, but it was only now that she understood just how much.

"They stopped at forty," Luna replied. "I suppose even my brother is capable of small mercies if he exerts himself."

"Actually, it was thirty-nine. I counted," Rainbow added.

Luna raised an eyebrow. "Thank you for keeping careful count then," she told Rainbow flatly. To Twilight she spoke in a gentler tone "Don't worry about numbers. The Legion won't hold you in debt for those lashes. I think even my brother's stubborn sense of justice will be satisfied with what happened today."

"Eighteen…" Twilight said softly. "So much for half and half." Her smile lessened. She felt that she had demeaned herself before Vanguard. She had been talking about taking on thirty and she had fallen short of the bare minimum.

"You had noble intentions and it was a valiant effort," Luna said. "But your time here hasn't been that long. The Barrier Lands haven't hardened you for thirty lashes, Twilight Sparkle. At least, not yet."

"She shouldn't have taken eighteen to begin with!" Applejack said. "Twilight and Vanguard have been nothing but good legionnaires. Why'd Terrato have to punish them? Why, he should be rewarding them for their hard work!"

Luna opened her mouth to answer, but it was Twilight who spoke. "He had his reasons. Princess Celestia's law was broken and, as prince, it was his duty to make sure somepony was punished."

"Haven't you been punished enough for finding out about this place when you got banished?" Spike asked. "It's not fair that you're punished again! And you came here to help out too! I say that prince is just being a jerk!"

"Spike!" Twilight motioned towards Luna. "He's her brother!"

Spike glanced worriedly at Luna, then crossed his arms. "Not changing my mind," he said. " I saw what you looked like when they carried you here. He may be a prince and Princess Luna's brother, but he's still a jerk!"

Luna let out a sigh and looked over to Twilight. The others fell silent as she spoke. "I apologize on my brother's behalf," she said. The downcast look on her face made even Spike hesitate. "He does have a gentler side. It's just that…he's very devoted to my sister. The only way he really knows how to express that is by lashing out at anything he thinks is a threat to her."

"Hasn't he ever heard of hugs?" Spike asked.

Luna smiled slightly. "He'd try it if my sister would come close enough for one." Her gaze focused on Twilight. "I feel that I must apologize for her as well. This banishment is wrong and it's only going to hurt her and all of you as it continues."

There was another moment of silence. Twilight made her third attempt to rise. This time, she managed some degree of success, enough so she could put a hoof on Luna's shoulder. "There's no need," she said. "None of us here bear any grudges. Not towards Prince Terrato and certainly not Princess Celestia."

"Well-" Spike was about to say something, but Twilight gave him a stern look. "Fine," he said. "No grudges. But he better not get anypony else whipped!"

Luna's smile widened. "Why is it so much easier to get along with mortal ponies than my own siblings?" she wondered aloud. "I wish I could stay with all of you, but I must leave. My brother wants me back in the Heartland. Is there something you want me to tell my sister?" she asked.

"Tell her we said hi!" Pinkie Pie quickly replied.

Applejack frowned at the frivolous reply and stepped forward. "Well, I don't really know what to tell the princess, your highness, but we'd be much obliged if you could tell our folks and friends that we're all safe here. Course, you don't have to tell them where we are or why we're here."

Luna nodded, then looked at Twilight. "What about you?" she asked.

Twilight was quiet for some time. The pain on her back faded to the corner of her mind as she contended with a more painful matter. "Tell her we're all doing well and…" She gathered her resolve as she spoke. "…and I haven't changed my mind despite the difficulties."

"I will," Luna replied. With that, she began to concentrate on a spell to transport her back to her sister's realm.

"Princess Luna!" Twilight called out. Luna looked up in response. "Thank you for everything! Oh, and don't tell her about this whole whipping matter. From what you said, your brother and sister aren't getting along very well. I don't want things between them to get worse."

"Don't worry, I won't," Luna replied. "Stay safe, Twilight Sparkle." Her horn glowed and arcs of magical energy began to surround her. There was a flash of light and she was gone from the Barrier Lands.

* * *

><p>Luna's destination was a carefully planned one. She had left the Heartland in a huff and despite Celestia's admonishments not to go. Given those circumstances, just appearing in the throne room as if nothing had happened didn't seem like a good idea. She decided to appear just outside the Royal Palace's main gates. From there, she would approach Celestia slowly and respectfully. Fortunately enough, she had some good news to share. Twilight Sparkle and her friends were alive and well for now. The wolven were pushing hard, negotiations with King Fenrir had failed, and Terrato's once-dead apprentice was leading a rebellion that would end in Celestia's assassination, but at least Twilight Sparkle was safe.<p>

Luna emerged from her transportation spell already exhausted. Breaking through her sister's barrier was a difficult task and she had just finished healing Twilight and Vanguard Clash. It also occurred to her that the moon had to rise just a few hours from now and that she was going to have to blot out that moon for tonight as well.

"Your highness!"

Luna recognized the surprised voice that greeted her. "Captain Bright Shield," she said to the leader of the squad of royal guards heading towards her. "Wait, what are you doing all the way out here?"

Bright Shield bowed low once he came closer. "Welcome back to Canterlot, your highness," he said. "We have all been worried about you." He glanced back at the palace worriedly. "Strange things have happened since you were last here."

At that alone, Luna immediately looked towards the palace. There was something wrong here. The very feel of the magic in the air had changed. She could feel the presence of things that she hadn't for more than a thousand years, even before her banishment. "Where is my sister?" she asked.

"She is in the throne room, your highness," Bright Shield answered. "Nopony has been allowed in there for some time. Not even the Royal Guard."

"I'm going in," Luna said. She rushed towards the palace.

"Your highness, wait!" Bright Shield called out from behind her. "Those things guarding the-!"

Luna didn't have to hear the rest. She pushed the doors to the palace aside with magic and froze at what she saw.

There wasn't a single pony within the palace halls, not even the Royal Guard. Had the palace developed such a fearsome reputation in such a short time that nopony dared to even come near it? Then she saw the reason for that.

At the end of the first hall was a pair of…beings that she hadn't seen for centuries and hadn't expected to see for centuries more. They appeared as pony-shaped blazes of white flame. Each was about Celestia's size and encased in burnished golden barding. Gouts of fire emerged from their backs to form wing-like shapes. Two bright red spots of light burned from where their eyes should be.

"Your highness, please be careful!" Bright Shield called out as he galloped towards her. "There are-!"

"Equi Ignei," Luna breathed. To Bright Shield it almost sounded like a curse. "Enforcers of the Eternal Herd. What have you done, big sister?"

"Equi- what?" Bright Shield asked in confusion. "Your highness-!"

"Keep your guards back, Captain Bright Shield!" Luna ordered. "I have to speak with my sister!"

She ran towards the throne room's direction. As she approached, the fiery ponies moved to block her path. The heat that radiated from them was intense. They were bigger than her already and they raised their "wings" to make themselves even more intimidating. Luna hesitated, a bead of sweat dripping from her brow to the floor. The Equi Ignei were creatures outside of this world. Defeating them would take magic beyond any mortal pony's. Even she would be hard pressed against them. Yet...was she even going to try? Fighting against them would be the equivalent of going against…

Luna steeled herself and stood tall. She was still Princess of the Night and these beings owed her as much respect as they would owe her siblings. "What is the meaning of this?" she asked. "Stand aside!"

One of them opened its mouth to answer. The first thing that Luna heard however was Bright Shield crying out and falling to the ground. She glanced back to find him flat on his belly, clutching his ears and shaking. The Equi Ignei spoke in a language that she hadn't heard since she and her siblings first came to what would be Equestria.

"Very well," she agreed. "I will see her no matter what. 'Escort' me to her if you wish."

The doors that led to the inner halls opened and two more of the fiery beings appeared. Luna looked back at Bright Shield one more time and motioned for him to leave before following them. The Equi Ignei positioned themselves around her with two flanking her, one in front and one at the rear. To their credit they at least maintained a respectable distance and they didn't watch her like hawks. They had also dismissed the heat that they emanated, much to her relief. She was worried that they would attempt to roast her with their formation before she even made it to the throne room. She also noticed that the only hoof-falls resounding within the hall belonged to her. For all their grand appearance, her escorts were perfectly silent.

Finally, they reached the throne room. Four more Equi Ignei guarded the place. Two stood at the foot of the stairs that led to the throne and two more flanked Celestia herself.

"Welcome back, Luna," Celestia said. She spoke softly and respectfully. The mere lack of warmth still put Luna on the defensive. What had happened while she was away? Perhaps her brother was right about sending her back.

"Explain yourself, big sister," Luna said. She gestured towards the blazing pony-shaped flames all around her. "Why are _they_ here? What could possibly drive you to risk a gate to the Eternal Herd?"

"Precaution," Celestia answered.

Luna stopped and stared at her sister. The Equi Ignei were forbidden to interfere with the affairs of mortal ponies. They could not be sent against the wolven or any of Equestria's enemies. In this world, the only creatures they could be sent against would be…

"Are you also afraid that I'd allow Nightmare Moon to possess me again?" Luna asked. To her, even that didn't make sense. Even during that time, Celestia had not dared to summon the Equi Ignei. Then again, the Elements of Harmony were still there to be used. 'Elements of Harmony…' she thought. She remembered Twilight and her friends back in the Barrier Lands.

"Nightmare Moon is gone," Celestia replied.

"Who else will you need them for if not me?" Luna asked. Her eyes widened at the only option. "Terrato…" she whispered.

The lack of immediate response was more than enough confirmation. "You actually think that big brother will come here and attack you?" she asked. "That it would reach the point where you will have to send the Equi Ignei against him?

"They are here as a precaution," Celestia said firmly. "Now, will you answer my questions, Luna?"

"Is that an order?" Luna asked. "Am I being interrogated?"

Celestia ignored the biting questions. "What have you been doing in the Barrier Lands?" she asked.

"I went there to find out what happened to Twilight Sparkle and her friends," Luna answered. "Something you should have done yourself, big sister!"

A look of concern crossed Celestia's face. Upon seeing it, Luna noticed how tired her older sister looked. Celestia's coat lacked luster and her mane was disheveled. Her legs trembled and her eyes looked dull and lifeless. Merely opening a gate to the Eternal Herd strained even an alicorn's magic. To actually call things out of it demanded a great deal even from a master summoning conjurations like her sister.

"What did you find out?" Celestia asked. "How are they? Where are they?"

"She's safe," Luna replied. "All of them are." She was taken aback as she saw her sister overcome with joy and relief. Another question marred that joy, however.

"Why aren't they with you?" Celestia asked. "Haven't they seen enough?"

"They've seen enough, big sister, enough so that they've decided to help in Equestria's defense. They're with big brother at the moment and they've joined the Equestrian Legion. Twilight Sparkle wants you to know that they're doing well and that she hasn't changed her mind."

The relief melted away, replaced with complete shock. "They…they've joined the Legion?" Celestia asked.

Luna grew puzzled at the response. "I just said that they wanted to help, big sister, joining the Legion seems the natural result of that."

"The Legion belongs to Terrato!" Celestia cried out. "If Twilight has joined it, he will claim that she belongs to him as well! He will think of the Elements of Harmony as weapons he now has at his disposal!"

"The Legion belongs to Equestria!" Luna replied. "As does big brother's loyalty!" A hint of anger crept into her voice. It was anger towards the growing rift between her siblings and anger towards herself for letting so much time go to waste while that rift grew. One thousand years…even if with the most modest opinion of herself she could have done something during such a length of time. Instead, she wasted it over a petty grudge that appeared more foalish with each passing moment. Right now, one thousand years seemed such a long time indeed. She had once thought that it was because she had spent it in isolation. A thousand years must have gone like a blink for her siblings. Only recently had she realized that all three of them had spent about a thousand years in isolation.

"Is that right?"

"What ideas have you been entertaining, big sister? Better yet, who have you been listening to?"

A stern look came upon Celestia. "There is a pony here by the name of Sun Gazer," she said. "He claims that Terrato plans to take over all of Equestria and banish me to the moon with the Elements of Harmony that have now fallen into his hooves. He says that Terrato is conspiring with you."

"Bring him out," Luna said, her voice shaking. "I will confront this liar myself!"

"No."

"Why not?" Luna stomped a front hoof. "If he is going accuse two thirds of Equestria's royalty, he had better be able to do it face to face!"

"If I bring him out, you might strike him down to silence him."

Luna stared at the alicorn sitting on the throne. Was she even talking to Celestia? "You think that I will outright murder a pony right before your eyes?" she asked.

"I don't know what to think anymore, Luna," Celestia said with a sigh and a shake of her head. To Luna, that was the same as "yes". "So many things have turned out differently from what I had expected over these few days. It seems only yesterday that I believed Twilight Sparkle would believe in what I had to do, that the Legion would always stand strong, and you will always stay by my side. I can't rely on beliefs anymore."

"Twilight Sparkle still believes in you," Luna said quietly. "The Legion still stands strong. And I am still by your side!"

Celestia did not seem to hear any of those words. "I will look into these matters myself."

"You would give weight to these lies against big brother?"

"Yes."

The bluntness of the answer caused something to snap within Luna, something that had wound up each time Terrato said "dearest sister" and each time Celestia had that worried look on her face whenever he was mentioned. "He is our brother!" she protested.

"He _used_ to be our brother!"

Celestia's voice cracked like a thunder strike, leaving Luna silent. It wasn't intimidation that took away Luna's words or left a mark on her face. It was…realization, a realization that demanded an explanation.

Celestia looked away, unable to directly face that demand. "Terrato knew of the dangers when he volunteered to lead Equestria's defenders," she said. "He knew that war would change him, which was why he insisted that he lead the Legion alone while we governed. He has been out there for so long, Luna. An ocean of blood has soaked him and the corpses of millions weigh down on his shoulders. You would know of what he has become! When Nightmare Moon possessed you, his first reaction was to kill you! Even when the Elements of Harmony freed you, he still insists that you were better off dead! How am I supposed to see his actions of late? Insisting that the barrier be breached…turning Twilight into a legionnaire…"

"I had a feeling that you were hiding this," Luna said. "I just had to hear it for myself. A thousand years has been too long, big sister, for all three of us."

"It has," Celestia said. The two of them were silent. It was the first thing they had agreed on all day. "I will see to this matter, Luna," she said afterwards. "In the meantime, please stay here in the palace."

Luna glanced at the Equi Ignei surrounding her. "You're confining me," she said. "Again."

"For Equestria's sake-!"

"You've lost sight of what those words mean."


	30. Fire and Fury

**Upheaval: Breaking Point**

**Chapter 30: Fire and Fury**

Three days had passed since Twilight and Vanguard's public flogging. With no quick victory in sight, the wolven settled down to a proper siege, starting off by cutting off supplies to Bastion City. Squads of bolters were placed in strategic positions, ready to shoot down any pegasus attempting to fly in or out of the city. Despite the destruction of several of them, the catapults continued to fire upon the walls in the slow process of bringing them down. Wolven miners began to dig tunnels to undermine the structural integrity of city's defenses as well. Earlier, they had discovered tunnels already made and tried to use those.

In response, the defenders of Bastion City dug in and prepared for a defensive war. Rations were strictly controlled at the start to make sure that no supplies were wasted. Unicorn magi guarded the walls in shifts to weaken catapult attacks with telekinesis. When wolven miners began to move in, the Legion spotted the tunnels and sent ponies to counter-mine. They discovered the ready-made tunnels and sent ponies to collapse them on top of the wolven.

The result of the clash of tactics was a temporary stalemate that greatly displeased the King of Wolvengard.

At the heart of his army, Fenrir pawed the snow-covered ground in a rage. As far as he was concerned, "stalemate" meant that Terrato was winning. To further worsen his temper, he had noticed that Luna's scent had moved far, far away. He did not put it beyond Terrato to have Luna nearby to tantalize him, then send her away as an insult.

Fenrir knew that he had to strike a blow. It did not need to be the spectacular shattering of the city's walls, but it had to be a blow against cursed Terrato's Legion so he could remind all of them, wolven and thunder-foot alike, that he had the upper paw.

While he favored a savage frontal assault above all else, Fenrir knew the importance of subtlety. A direct attack was not practicable. The defenses were still too strong. While he believed that if he hurled his entire army at the city, he could overwhelm it, he decided against the idea. This was going to be a prolonged campaign. A single city captured was not enough. He planned on marching straight into cursed Celestia's capital itself and seizing Luna once and for all. To do that, he had to preserve his troops as much as possible. His first few moves required a different approach. "Moon-Shadow!" he growled. The other wolven, even the mighty brachyurii that surrounded him, quailed at his voice.

At his command, his trusted ally appeared. Moon-Shadow had just returned from a disastrous mission that left her stranded on the moon for a thousand years. Her most recent mission, however, had been a success and Fenrir counted on that trend to continue. She appeared as a white, horned thunder-foot ablaze in black flame. Moon-Shadow always did have a preference for taking on the guise of their enemies and this time was no different.

"I am here, Fenrir," Moon-Shadow replied. She addressed him as an equal rather than a servant, a privilege given to no one else.

"Does cursed Terrato know that you've returned?"

"I have hidden my presence well. He thinks that I was destroyed completely when I was expelled from his sister."

"Good. I want you to hurt his Legion. Sneak into their city and hurt them. Remind the thunder-foots that they are not safe. Leave before Terrato catches your scent."

"I will."

* * *

><p>As Moon-Shadow left Fenrir's presence, the other wolven backed away from her warily. They could still smell the scent of thunder-foot around her, but it was an odor tainted by something so unnatural that none of them dared to even stand close.<p>

'You think that you can just dance your way into Bastion City?' Pyre Valor asked from within. She had allowed Nightmare Moon more control while they remained among the wolven. She didn't know how her hated enemies behaved and she didn't want to do something stupid such as provoke their king.

**_"Of course not,"_** Nightmare Moon replied. **_"But you can. You lived there before becoming a legionnaire didn't you? You would know a thing or two about your city's mighty defenses."_**

'You've been peering into my memories.'

**_"Not really, but thank you for confirming what I thought."_**

They left the wolven camp in silence after that. They were a good distance from the sentries when Nightmare Moon spoke again.

**_"Angry again? You have the temper of a newborn volcano, Pyre Valor. I wonder how you managed to not incinerate your 'friends' for such a long time."_**

"You know nothing of friendship," Pyre growled. Out here in the open plain, Nightmare Moon allowed her to control. The mere term was not something she quite grasped even after the time she spent with the spirit. She was still getting used to her new state of being. Being possessed was more than just "carrying a passenger". Nightmare Moon didn't sit inside a room within her, fiddling away with some sort of metaphysical controls and moving her body about like a puppet. They were…fused together, two wills sharing a single body. Even establishing and maintaining control was a complicated affair. The two of them didn't take turns. Pyre Valor felt as if she had complete control over her body at all times. However, whenever she would so much as lift a hoof, she had to contend with Nightmare Moon's will. If Nightmare Moon had other plans for that hoof, she would experience some resistance. She guessed that it must be the same for Nightmare Moon. Moving at all required a degree of harmony between them. If they couldn't agree on what to do then their body would be stuck. An unspoken system had developed between the two of them over time. Nightmare Moon seemed content to allow Pyre to move about most of the time, making suggestions whenever she deemed it necessary. Pyre guessed that so long as she behaved in a manner that aided the wolven, this would be the case. The sharing wasn't complete, however. Nightmare Moon heard her thoughts and could use her magic, but the opposite wasn't true. Clearly, equality wasn't part of their bargain.

Pyre pushed out those thoughts for now. Fenrir had given them orders and she was willing to do as he asked. She didn't have to do it alone either. Far away from the city and the wolven camp was a small tent where one pony waited. When the wolven made their way to Bastion City, Pyre had asked Blademane to run ahead and make camp away from the wolven army. He had complied without a single protest, as he had done since she decided to do this.

Blademane was sitting in front of his tent and tending a small fire. As soon as he spotted Pyre, he stood at attention. Pyre felt a twinge in her chest whenever she saw that. Blademane continued to act that she was his captain even though it was clear that they were caught in circumstances where that title meant nothing. She had asked him already why he stayed. All he answered was "I am on your side."

"I'm going to infiltrate Bastion City through an old entrance I know," Pyre said. "From there, I'm going to launch a quick raid to shake them up a bit."

"Do you need assistance?" Blademane asked.

Pyre nodded. "It's a small passage where Vanguard and I played in as children," she replied. "It's well hidden and should still be there. I can't bring a large group so you'll do as backup."

"Understood. When do we leave?"

"Nightfall."

* * *

><p>The past three days had been relatively easy for Twilight Sparkle. She was starting to get the hang of "boulder catching" and she had managed to stay out of trouble. She had also been granted access to some of the Legion's surviving spell books, a chance she happily jumped at. Finally, she was going to read actual spell books from the Barrier Lands. Pyre Valor's notes had been an important source of spells, but she can now move past beginning spells that had been cast aside. She expected the first book she read to be an eye-opener to the Barrier Lands approach to magic.<p>

And it was. She had expected it already given that these were spell books collected by the Legion. There were no mustache-growing spells here, only page after page of combat spells. The variety of ways by which the unicorns of the Barrier Lands have developed to hurt and kill was outright frightening. Fireball, with all its heat and intensity, was just the beginning. Just by flipping through pages, she found a spell that sucked all the water out of its victim, a spell that boiled the blood within its victim's veins and a spell that filled its victim's lungs with poisonous gas. Was it really necessary to try to be so creative in order to kill an enemy?

However, Mage Captain Owlsight had her put away the advanced combat spells. "You have a reliable offensive spell, Recruit Sparkle, I suggest you pick up some defensive spells first. 'Shield' is a good starting point." he had said.

Twilight considered it good advice. She knew a shield spell already, but having some options would be good. She started on some basic defensive spells and worked on them whenever she had some free time. At the end of another day of "boulder catching" and training along with the other recruits, she made her way back home where she would spend more time studying.

"Hey, Sparkle!"

Twilight looked to her side to find some of the recruits in her group waving at her. "We're off to get drinks over at Storm Brew's new place!" one of them called out. "Want to come along?"

Twilight shook her head with a smile. "I'll pass!" she replied. "I've got some more studying to do!"

"Bookworm!" the recruit said with a grin. They went on, talking among themselves. Twilight rounded the corner of one street with a little hurry in her step. It was close to evening and she didn't want to waste any time before getting to sleep.

She was still a few more corners from her new home when she stopped. By the next corner, she spotted Vanguard Clash and Scarlet Rabbit. "Vanguard!" she called out. The two saw her and waved in acknowledgment. "Are the two of you still on duty?" she asked.

"No," Scarlet answered. "But the Captain here had a hunch or something and wants to check something out!"

Twilight looked to Vanguard curiously. "There are ways into this city besides the main gates," Vanguard said. "I remember an old passageway by the western walls. I want to check it out in case it might turn into a problem later."

"Wanna join us?" Scarlet asked.

"Scarlet, this isn't some outing," Vanguard said sternly.

"Why not? We brought Applejack with us the last time!"

"That has nothing to do with this," Vanguard said. He turned towards Twilight. "You should be resting. Your back hasn't fully recovered, I take it?"

"You're the one with forty lashes still on you," Twilight replied. She had wanted to know more about what Vanguard did around the city. "Besides, I don't mind coming along."

"Great!" Scarlet crowed. "The more the merrier!"

"There is nothing merry about this," Vanguard insisted sternly. "We're just going to check if that passage is still there. I'm not even sure if I'm remembering it right."

The three of them made their way to the western portion of the walls as evening continued to settle. It was already dark by the time they made it there. Vanguard led them through a veritable maze of smaller side streets, leaving Twilight completely lost. "So how do you know about this passage?" she asked him.

"I used to play a lot around these parts when I was a colt," Vanguard explained. "Pyre and I found that passage and used it to sneak out of the city at times."

"Why would you want to sneak out of the city?"

"Survival camping when we were younger, dueling tournaments when we were a bit older."

"Dueling is illegal within city limits," Scarlet added with a grin.

Twilight raised an eyebrow. "Duels...as in you fought other ponies?"

"I thought it was a good way to test ourselves before we joined the Legion," Vanguard replied. "Pyre wanted to throw herself at every aspiring unicorn as soon as she learned her first combat spell."

"Did you ever get caught?" Twilight asked.

"The other participants had their routes discovered. Ours never was. Maybe somepony has already found it and closed it up. Or we could have a potential entry point to the city."

"It seems there's a lot of-!" Twilight said. Before she could continue, Vanguard raised a hoof to stop them. They were in front of a deserted alleyway. She was a little taken aback at the scattered rubble in it. It seemed that this place was used to store old construction equipment. Bits of wood were scattered about along with old pieces of scaffolding and sacks of broken stones. But, as she looked ahead, she realized why Vanguard and Scarlet had stopped.

At the end of the alley stood two ponies. One of them was a white unicorn with a long, wild black mane. The other was a large, brown earth pony. Twilight recognized them at once.

"Pyre Valor," Vanguard growled. His hoof went to the two-bladed sword strapped to his harness.

Twilight steeled herself for a fight. Pyre Valor looked shocked at the mere sight of Vanguard, but the shock was replaced by an angry glare when Pyre's eyes focused on her. Blademane stepped forward protectively.

"Go for backup, Scarlet," Vanguard said right before he clamped down on the hilt of his weapon.

Scarlet hesitated for a second before nodding and flying off. Twilight understood the decision. He was the fastest and it fell on him to call up reinforcements.

The moment Scarlet flew off, Blademane charged at Vanguard, who met it with a charge of his own. The two crashed into each other with a loud, metallic bang. Blademane had slammed his head against Vanguard's and kept it in place to prevent the two-bladed sword from slicing him up. Pyre Valor's horn flashed dark red before she disappeared. Twilight saw a flash of red on top of a nearby building.

"Twilight, don't let her run around loose!" Vanguard shouted. "But be careful!"

Twilight nodded and cast her own teleportation spell, reappearing on top of the same building Pyre Valor had teleported onto.

* * *

><p>With Twilight Sparkle gone, Vanguard Clash pushed Blademane away and swiped at the brown stallion with his weapon. The blade cut between the plates of Blademane's barding, leaving a deep gash just between his right shoulder and foreleg.<p>

Blademane jumped back and hesitated. The narrow space would make it difficult for Vanguard to swing his massive weapon about, but he knew that his former captain had fought in similar situations before. His best bet was to keep at the center of the two blades and beat down Vanguard with his tramplers. The narrow alley should keep Vanguard's swings to short ones.

The two of them charged at each other once more. Blademane encountered another problem as he butted heads with Vanguard. His former captain's nightsteel fullplate was much stronger than his regular barding. His champron dented on impact, causing stars to burst in his vision. He ignored the pain and reared up to strike with his front tramplers.

Vanguard mimicked the move, locking them in a shoving match with their forelegs against each other's. The blades stuck out just above their forelegs. Blademane put his entire weight into shoving Vanguard back. He was bigger than Vanguard, but the smaller stallion held his ground with ease. As Blademane continued to push, Vanguard suddenly fell backwards.

The lack of resistance pulled Blademane off balance, sending him falling forward. Beneath him, Vanguard put both hind legs against his belly and kicked upwards, knocking him into the air. Vanguard then turned his head to one side so that Blademane's unprotected belly would land on his weapon's edge.

Realizing his predicament, Blademane twisted in mid-air to avoid being gutted. He collapsed clumsily on his back, just a foot from Vanguard, who had already rolled to his hooves. Blademane rolled in time as the two-bladed sword thrust into the ground just where his exposed belly was. Panting, he got to his hooves. Blood continued to pour from his injured foreleg.

* * *

><p><strong><em>"You said that the only pony who knew of that passage was dead."<em>**

'That was him. It looks like we came upon the same idea at the same time.'

**_"We're going to have a discussion on how you see the word "dead"."_**

Pyre ignored Nightmare Moon for a while and looked around from her vantage point. She didn't have much time to cause some damage. A few fire spells at a food storage building should give the Legion a wakeup call. She thought of heading for the main gates and blowing them up, but that required a lot of empowerment from Nightmare Moon. With Prince Terrato so close, Nightmare Moon didn't want to risk it. And that was with regular gates. Bastion City's gates were now heavily guarded and magically reinforced. The Legion learned quickly from past mistakes and FangBreaker Fortress's fall was a very stark lesson indeed.

"Stop!"

Pyre turned around to find that the purple chosen had followed her. Her temper flared at the sight of the legion mage-coat on the miserable mare. She wasn't the only one to recognize this Night Sparkle, however. She also felt some of Nightmare Moon's realization as well.

**_"This miserable unicorn will be the first to-!"_**

'Stand down.'

**_"What? You do not command me, Pyre Valor!"_**

'I said stand down!'

Surprisingly enough, Pyre felt Nightmare Moon's presence within her recede. She didn't know if it was due to her fierce resistance or of Nightmare Moon had some other agenda, but her body was now under control. She took a step towards her hated enemy, her horn already glowing with magic. She had a score to settle with this unicorn, a score that she wanted to deal with on her own. "Take off that mage-coat!" she snarled. "I've never seen a bigger insult to the Legion! You're going to pay for this, Night Sparkle!"

"This coat is standard issue to every unicorn legionnaire," the purple unicorn replied, her horn glowing as well. "That includes me. By the way, it's Twilight Sparkle."

"Take it off or I will burn every inch of your skin." Pyre's snarl turned into a low, dangerous tone.

"You threatened a scared unicorn who stumbled into this land without knowing anything, Pyre Valor," Twilight Sparkle replied. "I'm not that same unicorn."

The two of them faced off on a wide, flat rooftop a couple of stories from the ground. The roof was covered with a thin layer of snow, making it a bit slippery.

"Is that so?" A sphere of white-hot flames flew from Pyre's horn.

Twilight answered with a fireball of her own. The two spheres collided between them and exploded, bathing the rooftop in searing heat. Twilight stepped back and raised a portion of her mage-coat to protect her from the blast.

"You think you've seen fire? You haven't seen anything!" Pyre Valor concentrated on another spell. Before the last explosion had even dissipated, she unleashed a barrage of meteors, each the size of an adult pony and covered with glowing cracks, towards Twilight Sparkle's direction. She wasn't done yet, however, as a precaution she cast another spell and hurled it right behind her.

Half the roof top erupted in flames, scattering bits of stone and wood across the entire area. One of the boulders had missed its mark and struck the building on the other side of the alley where Vanguard was. Smoke and flames began to spread from that building. When the explosion settled, she saw that Twilight Sparkle had disappeared from the spot. Even without looking, Pyre could feel Twilight Sparkle behind her. She wasn't worried, however, it seemed that her predictable foe had yet to notice her trap.

On the ground, likely just beneath Twilight Sparkle would be a small, pulsing red gem: a delayed blast fireball. A couple more seconds passed before it erupted, all but destroying the other side of the roof and leaving only the middle section intact. To Pyre's annoyance, Twilight reappeared to her side, her body smoking from several burns. Her teleportation had saved her life, but not without some of the flames actually reaching her.

Pyre Valor quickly rushed Twilight Sparkle and slammed a front hoof into her face, knocking her down. Twilight was still casting a spell even as Pyre closed in. Out of desperation, her foe engulfed her in a telekinetic grip.

Pyre's horn flashed with magic, breaking Twilight's telekinesis. She slammed another hoof onto her prone opponent's face, rubbing it against the rooftop. "That was pathetic!" she snarled. She pounded Twilight's face repeatedly, trying to take out an unquenchable rage. "Weakling! Chosen filth! They may as well let rats into the Legion!"

The violent pounding only increasing her rage, Pyre grabbed a hank of Twilight's mane with her teeth and pulled her hooves only to hurl her to the ground to the opposite side. "Faced with an overwhelming attack, you so predictably teleported towards the exact opposite direction it was heading towards. Did you think I wouldn't expect that? And using telekinesis? The first spell any unicorn thinks of a counter spell to when facing another unicorn? Moron!"

Twilight raised covered her face with her forelegs as another assault of hooves rained down on her. Her horn flashed briefly and her body was covered with an almost invisible screen of protective magic. Nevertheless, Pyre Valor trampled her opponent relentlessly, uncaring of what had happened back in the alley she had left Vanguard in. She noticed the quick spell cast, but didn't care. To her mind, "Armor" was a weak, basic spell. Yet more proof of how pathetic her opponent was. "You stand against me as if you had a chance!" she snarled. "I've fought unicorns worth ten of you! When was the last time you looked at a unicorn and thought to yourself 'How can I beat her?' Miserable-!" Pyre Valor's tirade stopped when her left foreleg refused to move.

**_"That's enough!"_** Nightmare Moon hissed within her mind. **_"We've wasted too much time on this pony! Kill her and let's go! We can't harm the Legion much as it is and Terrato may very well be upon us soon!"_**

Pyre tried to lift her other hoof only to encounter the same resistance.

**_"Enough trampling! She's helpless! Burn her to a crisp!"_**

Pyre's horn flared with dark red light as she readied a killing spell. Before she could cast it, she heard the distant sound of wings flapping. On impulse, she jumped to one side just as a bolt flew towards her.

"Hold still while I skewer you, Pyre!" Scarlet Rabbit shouted. He pulled another bolt from the case strapped to his flank and reloaded. Behind him, several pegasi aimed their crossbows at her. Before they could fire, however, their target burst into black flames. A thick bank of black smoke quickly filled the burning remains of the rooftop. The pegasi fired their weapons at the smoke only to hit nothing but rooftop. The smoke shifted towards the alley near the building, moving as if it were a living creature.

* * *

><p>In the alley, Vanguard and Blademane were still fighting. Blademane was now sporting several cuts to his chest and forelegs. His barding was dented in several places and he was breathing heavily. Vanguard was bleeding from one nostril and had a several bruises just beneath the barding of his forelegs.<p>

Vanguard was about to charge again when smoke filled the alley. Gagging, he stumbled out of the cloud. As quickly as it had appeared, the smoke seemed to flow right into the passageway at the end of the alley before disappearing. He looked around. Blademane was gone as well. He looked towards the rooftop where Twilight had teleported to. He saw Scarlet hovering about, directing pegasi to help out in controlling the damage. "Scarlet!" he called out. "How's Twilight?"

"Pyre kicked her flank pretty badly!" Scarlet shouted back. "But she'll be fine! Just some burns and bruises!"

Vanguard shook his head. That can't bode well. He was thankful that he had intercepted Pyre Valor and Blademane before they could do any serious damage. All they had to deal with was a fire and some injuries. Right now, he was torn with feeling stupid that he had brought Twilight along and ended up getting her hurt...again and feeling relieved that Twilight was there to delay Pyre until reinforcements came along. He sighed and stepped out of the alley. He should, at least, help control the damage.

* * *

><p>The following morning, Vanguard found Twilight by her desk with several open spell books. Her burns proved to be minor, but she was still bound in bandages. Her face had also swollen badly. Though it looked as if she had a hard time looking through the swelling around her right eye, she continued to read. The look of determination on her face made him loathe to bother her. Around them, the rest of their friends were still asleep. The sun had yet to rise after all. "Have you slept an hour at least?" he asked.<p>

"I'm fine," she replied.

"Those spells are useless if you're too tired to cast them."

Twilight paused from her reading and looked at Vanguard. "Then tell me what else I can do," she said. Vanguard was taken aback by the fierce expression. "You know her best. Tell me. How do I beat Pyre Valor?"

Vanguard let out a sigh before answering. "Learning more spells is just part of the solution," he said. "You're a very book-smart pony. You need to translate that to fighting knowledge. Sharpen your reflexes and learn all the little tricks that will help you win."

"How do I do that?"

"The quickest way is to pit yourself against other unicorns. Throw yourself into combat often enough and you'll get better."

Vanguard expected hesitation from Twilight, maybe even some revulsion. He didn't expect grim determination. This could be bad. Pyre lit more fires than just the ones he helped put out yesterday. "A word of caution, Twilight Sparkle," he added.

"What is it?"

"If you walk Pyre's path, you'll end up where Pyre is."

"I'll keep that in mind."

"Take it to heart. Keeping things in mind is why your face is a swollen mess."

Twilight didn't answer. She looked back to her spell books and buried herself in her studies.


	31. Irreparable Damage

**Upheaval: Breaking Point**

**Chapter 31: Irreparable Damage**

In the centuries he had spent in this world, few things ever disconcerted Prince Terrato. He had seen the monsters that lurked the lands outside Equestria and the ones that lurked within it. He had seen incredible acts of might and magic and he had seen the best and the worst that his own ponies were capable of. All of these things he had looked upon with, at best, mild surprise.

Now, staring at the pair of pony-shaped flames before him, being disconcerted was far too inadequate a word for what he felt. It was still early morning when he received word that a brief fire had broken out by the western side of Bastion City. As soon as the legionnaires that had brought the message had left, two Equi Ignei materialized before him. His first reaction was to brace himself for a fight. When they just stood there, curiosity took over fighting instincts. "What are you doing here?" he had asked. He had not merely meant his realm, but the very world he was in.

One of them answered in its own tongue and Terrato was glad that these two had waited until he was alone. He didn't want to lose legionnaires to either deafness or insanity. These two were apparently acting as messengers and escorts. He had expected, at first, that it was his own parents that were sending for him. When they told him that it was Celestia, concern for his eldest sister overrode everything else.

"She summoned you, didn't she?" he asked. "How many of you did she call up? For what purpose would she need the Equi Ignei?" The two didn't speak right away. "Answer me!"

One of them answered. Its tone was respectful, but far from cowed. The Equi Ignei respected alicorns, but were not beholden to them as mortal ponies were. It was all but impossible to cow beings that could stand in the presence of the King and Queen.

Terrato's eyes narrowed at the response. Precaution…he sneered at the idea. Precaution against what? He was his sister's defender. What threat could possibly make her think that she needed something besides…he paused, then stared at the two beings before him. His sister wanted to meet with him alone, in her realm while surrounded by Equi Ignei she had summoned. If he didn't know any better, he'd think that she was trying to assassinate him. He knew what the summons was for. She wanted to test his loyalty, to question him while he was stripped of his protections and outside his realm. "It's me…" he whispered. "I'm the threat she's summoned them for."

The Equi Ignei waited silently. The lights that served as their eyes showed no emotion over the increasing anger of the pony they faced. "No," Terrato answered in a low tone. "Tell her I'm busy. In case she's forgotten, remind her that I'm in the middle of dealing with a crisis."

The Equi Ignei spoke again. To his annoyance,Terrato felt the magic around the area distort as they did so. Celestia wanted Twilight Sparkle and her friends back in the Heartland. 'And so another plan turns around and bites your flank, Celestia,' he thought. It was unlikely that any of the banished chosen would submit themselves to a memory lock. That would leave Celestia two options. She could imprison them somewhere or she was willing to risk spreading word by trusting them not to say anything and letting them loose.

Terrato scoffed at the latter. If Celestia had been willing to do that, they wouldn't be in this mess. He also couldn't imagine Celestia locking up her chosen either. 'It's not that summoning the Equi Ignei was high in my list of things Celestia is most likely to do,' he thought. Why would she be so desperate to get them back anyway? Did she miss Twilight Sparkle that horribly? An unbearable onset of guilt? The answer hit him. The Elements of Harmony. He had sensed the power within them when he met them face to face. It made sense now. Celestia was trying to get the Elements of Harmony away from him in some deluded attempt to prevent his imaginary attack. The thought was infuriating. Did a thousand years of devoted protection mean nothing at all?

"Twilight Sparkle is neither her property nor mine," Terrato replied. He kept his voice calm just to match the formality that they showed him. "I'd ask you to talk to her yourselves to get her answer, but I'm not willing to risk blowing her brains up so I'll clue you in. Luna was here and she tried to convince them to go to a safe place. They refused. I asked them to stay in my fortress until Celestia called them back. They refused. Regardless of how they got here, they're staying on their own volition. I'm not going to insult them by asking a third time."

The Equi Ignei spoke again. Their formality belied a persistence that only worsened Terrato's mood.

"I don't give a crap if you won't take no for an answer!" he roared. His voice caused the entire building to shake and bits of dust fell to the floor. "You glorified cinders can't touch them anyway! If you have a problem with how I run things in my realm, I'll be happy to face you in battle right here and now!" His voice lowered to a growl. "Now go back to your summoner before I actually lose my temper."

The Equi Ignei lingered for a few moments more before simply fading out like dying bonfires.

"Hold," Terrato said. The flickering flames remained after he called out to them. In between leaving and staying, they looked more a small collection of guttering candle flames than blazing, otherworldly entities. He softened his tone. "If my words mean anything at all to her, tell Celestia that I have been and always will be devoted to her."

The flickering flames completely faded out, leaving him alone in his makeshift audience hall. He rubbed his temples with his hooves. Who was he kidding? Of course his words meant nothing to her. If they did, she'd be talking to him through a magical image instead of sending messages through summoned beings. He wished he could have gone with them. He didn't care if he had to go alone and face Celestia while surrounded by Equi Ignei she summoned. He would have risked it just to actually stand in her physical presence instead of relying on magical images.

But he couldn't go. Not after last night's incident. That crafty, flea-bitten mongrel, Fenrir, had been hiding some trick up his sleeve. Bastion City was raided by a familiar presence, one that he still remembered despite not feeling it for so long. Nightmare Moon was around and Fenrir managed to keep her presence hidden. He couldn't risk abandoning Bastion City now.

Terrato frowned and thought it through carefully. Fenrir possessed some modicum of honor, but he was not above manipulating the pact. Nightmare Moon was not involved in their agreement, giving her free rein to attack the Legion using her new unicorn host. He realized how fortunate he was now that the Elements of Harmony had come to the Barrier Lands. He would have to rely on them.

The thought of using Twilight Sparkle and her friends like weapons proved to be an unpleasant one. Celestia would certainly not forgive him for the things he would have to do for the sake of protecting her.

_"But the truth is, she's never forgiven you for going out to fight yourself."_

Terrato let out a sigh. Luna was right. He was deluding himself. He had been out of Celestia's favor on the very first day he led the Legion into its first battle and he had been fighting the impossible battle of trying to get back into her good graces ever since. He struck the floor with a hoof, giving the walls of the Grand Meeting Hall a good shaking, and cursed at the presence of the Equi Ignei. In addition to showing him how much Celestia distrusted him, they reminded him of old times back in the Eternal Herd, times when he didn't have to concern himself with being the defender of Equestria.

He closed his eyes and tried to look back past centuries of fighting and killing. He tried to remember galloping through the endless rolling plains of Elys where the golden grass tasted sweeter than any mortal food. Flying through the marble, cloud-covered mountains of Bytos, where springs of crystalline water flowed forth. Then there was Empyrea, the glorious city to which the seven heavenly rivers flowed. Here, their parents ruled over the Eternal Herd.

Most of all, he tried to remember Celestia standing right next to him. He tried to see her laughing and having fun, her bright pink mane flowing out behind her like sea foam, gently caressing her lustrous white coat. How he missed those days.

"Perhaps it is time to go home," Terrato muttered. Their stay here was tearing them apart. No, it had already torn them apart. The damage may well be permanent. He dreaded the prospect of standing before the King and Queen and explaining how it all came about.

* * *

><p>Rainbow Dash flew swiftly through the row of poles, zigzagging through them with ease. As she did so, she took out her crossbow, took aim, fired at the targets lined up at the sides of the training ground, then reloaded without slowing down. Bolts flew towards their targets in rapid succession and, by the time she reached the end of the training ground, five wolven cut outs had been shot at. She wiped the sweat off her brow and looked back at her hoof-work: two out of five targets had been struck, two of her shots were close, and one was wide. It was far from a perfect, but it was certainly an improvement. Ever since the initial attack, she hadn't flown into battle at all. She didn't like how she had performed that last time: panicking, spacing out, getting grazed…it was her first time in a fight, but she still felt embarrassed. Right now, the lack of opportunities to put that dismal performance behind her was making her giddy. She had to focus all her pent up aggression on training and it showed in the mess of practice bolts scattered all across her section of the training grounds.<p>

Then she heard a distant boom coming from somewhere in the city. It sounded like the rumble of thunder and she was about to fly off to investigate when she heard her flight captain call her name.

"You're a pretty quick learner, Rainbow Dash," Tailwind called out from the ground. "It hasn't been a week since you first held that weapon and you're handling it well!"

Beaming inside, Rainbow saluted, then landed just in front of Tailwind. "Did you hear that loud noise, Flight Captain?" she asked. "It sounded like an explosion."

"Sounds more like our prince being a bit upset," Tailwind replied. "Never mind that. Come along, we've got work to do."

Rainbow followed from behind as Tailwind walked towards the center of the training grounds where the rest of their flight was training. "Flight Dreadwing, fall in!" Tailwind shouted. There was a brief scramble. In a few seconds, every pegasus in area had lined up. "Last night, the wolven tried to launch a raid on our city. Thanks to that stupid son of mine and Twilight Sparkle, they didn't get much done. We've been ordered to pay them back with a raid of our own along with Flight Storm Dawn. I want everypony to be ready. We'll be hitting one of their exposed supplies by sundown. Is that understood?"

"Yes, ma'am!" the flight answered in unison.

Rainbow saluted once more, then went back to training once they were dismissed. Twilight had done it again. For all her squeamishness about what they had to do, she had been the one getting the most done out of all of her friends and making a name for herself. Rainbow felt a little envious. Just how many wolven did Twilight incinerate this time? And that was assuming she was still using the same spell. Knowing her, she probably had ten more combat spells down pat.

'Well, here's my chance to shine!' Rainbow thought. She'll have to find a way to distinguish herself in this raid. She couldn't let Twilight get all the glory.

"Hey, Rainbow Dash!"

Rainbow was about to have another go at the shot-on-the-wing course when a familiar voice caught her attention. She looked to her right and found Scarlet Rabbit hovering nearby. "Are you following me?" she asked tone.

The question, along with the attached annoyance, bounced off Scarlet Rabbit as if she had been throwing pieces of crumpled paper at him. He reminded her a bit of Pinkie Pie, if Pinkie was a hardened killer of a soldier. "It's going to be your first raid tonight!" he said. "Excited?"

"Well…" Rainbow was about to say yes when she hesitated. An image of her friends looking at her came to mind. Applejack and Twilight Sparkle were looking away. Rarity, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie just looked in concern, unable to understand what was bothering her. They didn't say a word, but she could see the disapproval and worry. Worst of all, she could see traces of disgust and fear. They were judging her and she didn't like it. It wasn't her fault that she couldn't feel the same guilt as they did during the last fight. 'They're the ones in the wrong, not me,' she thought. They were ponies of the Barrier Lands now and they should be adjusting, not clinging to their ways when they only knew of the Heartland. "Yeah!" she answered with a resolve that surprised even her. "I am excited!"

Scarlet looked a little confused at first, then matched her enthusiasm with a grin. "Great! We're going to have a blast while burning down their supply wagons. I might even show you how to swoop down and pick up wolven so you can throw them to their deaths!"

"Wait a minute! Why are you coming? You're not from Flight Dreadwing or Storm Dawn!"

"Didn't Flight Captain Tailwind tell you? I'm coming along to help out with raids. Besides, I used to be Flight Dreadwing!"

"That doesn't count!"

"Oh yeah? I may be in Special Operations now, but I'm more Flight Dreadwing than you!" Scarlet shot back. He fiddled with his harness until he pulled out what looked like a medal and showed it to Rainbow proudly. She took a good look. The medal was gold and shaped into a stylized feathered wing with a pony skull embossed at its base: Flight Dreadwing's symbol."You're not really a member of the flight until you get one of these!" he said.

Rainbow's eyes widened. She could just imagine the insignia on her harness. "How do I get one then?" she asked. She didn't even bother disguising the desire in her tone.

"Tailwind gives them to anypony in the flight who fulfills one of her three tasks."

"What are those?"

"A fifty wolven kill count. Don't ask how she knows, she just does. There's also having a twenty wolven kill count in a single mission. Or you could do what I did."

"What's that?"

"Take down a brachyurus."

Rainbow Dash swallowed. "Brachyurus?" she asked. "As in those really big white ones that hang around their rear lines?"

"Yup. They're not just big. They can jump really high and catch you when you think you're flying out of reach. They're tough enough to take an entire case of bolts without slowing down and they can rip you apart as if you were made of paper! If they don't just swallow you in one gulp!"

"How did you kill one then?"

"By being really awesome. I timed my shot just as it was about to bite me and put a bolt right down its gullet!"

Rainbow looked at Scarlet carefully to see if he was making things up. Brachyurii were the strongest of the wolven. They didn't even belong to the list that pegasi worked down on when picking wolven targets. They were just too big and too strong. Taking one down required coordinated efforts from different ponies. It was hard to tell if he was lying. Scarlet was always smiling and cheery. He talked about killing fifty wolven as if he was talking about collecting stamps. She admired that trait a little. He was certainly the opposite of Twilight and the others, who blanched at the thought of killing even one wolven. "Say Scarlet…" she said.

"Hm?"

"Do you ever feel bad about killing wolven?"

Scarlet scoffed. "Of course not!" he replied. "Nothing gets me more pumped than flying into a furious fight, putting bolts through wolven skulls, dropping a few to their deaths, then reporting how awesome I was to the captain!" He flew about in place, barely able to contain his own excitement.

Rainbow hovered backwards a bit. She expected that from Scarlet somehow. What she didn't expect was feeling…reassured by the response. "But they're still living creatures, right?" she asked.

"Of course they are! You can't kill something that isn't 'living' right?" He paused from his antics and stared at Rainbow, his eyes narrowing. "You have to stop getting little details like feeling sorry for wolven get you down, Rainbow Dash. They'll only slow you down. The slow don't last long in the Barrier Lands' skies."

"I am not slow!" Rainbow snapped. "I'll show you! Twenty wolven, fifty wolven…even a brachyurus! I'll kill them and get that insignia! And it'll look more awesome on me than you!"

Scarlet's grin widened. "Sounds like a plan," he said. "But you should lighten up. Take some joy out of these things." He put on a mock sagely face. "You're going to be doing this for a long time. If you can't take joy in doing in it, you'll go crazy. Being a legionnaire's only a drag if you let it!"

Rainbow returned the grin and glanced at her crossbow. "I think I will," she said. Perhaps she had misjudged Scarlet Rabbit. At first, she thought that he was a little crazy for being so cheery despite all the carnage around him. Now that she thought about it, perhaps he made a lot more sense than her friends. He'd been living his entire life fighting the wolven. He was the fastest flyer of the Northern Equestrian Legion…for now. He was obviously doing successfully in the Legion. His feelings on the matter were closer to hers than her friends' were. He must be right. He had to be right. It was Twilight and the others who had to understand and adjust.

"Tell you what," Scarlet continued. "If you can kill even five wolven on tonight's raid, I'll treat you to a drink over at Storm Brew's. The only thing as exciting as a bloody fight is a round of celebratory drinks over at Storm Brew's!"

"Deal!" Rainbow replied. "You'd better get your bits ready!"

The two of them continued chatting while Rainbow resumed her training drills. Now, more than ever, she was determined to sharpen her skills and catch up to Scarlet Rabbit. No, not just catch up. She was going to overtake him. She was going to be a faster, more awesome, and a better legionnaire than he was. She flapped her wings quickly, relishing the sudden lightness she felt. If she threw away even trying to feel guilty over killing, she just might be able to do it. Maybe that was the secret to Scarlet's speed.


	32. Those Who Must Fight

**Upheaval: Breaking Point**

**Chapter 32: Those Who Must Fight**

"Pay attention, Recruit Applejack!"

Infantry Captain Iron Jaw's sharp reprimand caught Applejack like a whip lash. She nearly jumped and turned to look at him, only to remember that Twocolt was currently trying to leave some hoof-prints on her face. She jumped back in time to avoid a couple of hoof strikes, one of them narrowly missing her nose.

"What's the matter?" Twocolt asked. "That's the third time you've been distracted." He swung his forelegs again. "If you won't take this seriously then I really am going to break your face!"

"Sorry," Applejack said. "I'm serious this time!"

The two of them clashed heads, then tried to push the other back. Twocolt was slightly bigger than Applejack, but she didn't give a single inch. All around them, the sounds of fighting filled the air. Iron Jaw had split them into pairs and ordered them to spar as part of their training. He stood at the center of the fighting, calling out glaring mistakes and giving tips. Several older members were also roaming about, making sure that nopony got seriously injured as well as making corrections. While they were expected to do their part during battles, the new recruits still had training to do during the lulls of the siege such as the one they were in at the moment.

"Alright, that's enough!" Iron Jaw barked. "Fall in!" The noon sun was already shining when he gave the order. He had his platoon start training in the early morning with breakfast barely settling in their stomachs. "Get to the mess hall and quiet those guts! The rest of the afternoon will be for marching drills!"

Applejack groaned inwardly as the platoon made its way to mess hall. She didn't like marching drills. She didn't even understand why it was so important to know so many formations and how to stay in them. Still, she was glad for the break.

Lunch wasn't much to look ahead to either. A bowl of plains grass and D Grade Winter Moss was all that waited for them. Applejack munched away stoically, trying to remember when the last time she had an apple or any fruit for that matter. As she set her glass of water down, however, she noticed what appeared to be a small cupcake next to her bowl. A little suspicious, she looked around to see if the others had one. They didn't. She gave the piece of pastry a tentative sniff and took a bite. It was quite sweet and still a little warm. The small bits of apple in it almost brought tears to her eyes. The cupcake felt like an apology for the rather bland meal, an apology that she was more than willing to accept. She looked around again, wondering how the cupcake got there. She found her answer by the far end of the mess hall. By the entrance to the kitchen, Pinkie Pie was looking over at her, waving excitedly. With a smile, Applejack waved back.

"Guess it pays to have friends over at Logistics," Twocolt said.

Embarrassed, Applejack put her hoof down and looked around to see if anypony else had seen that. To her relief, only Twocolt seemed to have noticed. "You can have a bite if you like," she said. She offered the half-eaten cupcake to him.

"No, thanks," Twocolt replied. "It's already too small for you."

With a shrug, Applejack finished the cupcake with one more bite before washing it down with water.

"So what's wrong?" Twocolt asked. "You've been out of it all morning."

"Huh?"

"And there it is again."

"Sorry. I was just thinking."

"Well, thanks for telling me that much. Mind telling me more? Maybe if you get it off your chest, Iron Jaw can stop calling you out."

Applejack hesitated a bit. Twocolt had been a good friend to her ever since she joined Infantry. Surely there was no harm in telling him. Besides, he was probably right. She needed to talk to somepony. The problem was that she didn't know just how to talk about what was bothering her. Her mind went back to what happened that morning.

She had awoken to find Twilight sitting by a desk and reading one of her books. Normally, this would be an innocuous scene. Finding Twilight with her face buried in a book was about as strange as looking up and finding the sky. Finding Twilight reading a book while bound in fresh bandages and her face swollen and bruised, on the other hoof, was another story. It didn't stop at there. There was no disturbing Twilight: not good mornings, not questions about what happened, nothing. She looked so focused that Applejack was afraid of going over to nudge her.

Then, there was Rainbow Dash. Something had come over her ever since her earlier outburst after the first wolven attack on Bastion City. The change wasn't spectacular or even physical. It just felt that Rainbow seemed more distant and more eager to get out and get back to training. Their exchange that morning made it clear that something was wrong.

_"Hey, RD, got a minute?"_

_"Not really. I have to go, Applejack. The flight captain's gonna kick my flank if I'm late!"_

_"Let's talk about what happened the other day!"_

_"Look, the past is the past alright? Stop getting all touchy feely over every little thing!"_

Applejack could only hope that this distance was simply because Rainbow thought that her new flight was "cool" and not because of some other sinister reason. That Fluttershy, Rarity, Pinkie, and Spike were doing well so far was a welcome relief. Perhaps being away from the front lines helped. "I'm worrying about some of my friends," she answered.

"What happened?" Twocolt asked. He set down his empty bowl. "Are they hurt?"

"Well, Twilight's looking pretty hurt. Crazy filly's making a habit of it too."

"I heard she took on some raiding wolven infiltrators yesterday." The admiration in Twocolt's voice was unmistakable. "That fire over the west section of the city could have been worse if it wasn't for her and Vanguard Clash."

"Darn it, Twocolt! How are you getting all these stories?" Applejack eyed the stallion suspiciously. "Do you go around every morning picking up gossip?"

"I've got a good ear for these things. Looks like Twilight Sparkle is racking up the heroics."

Applejack set her glass on the table just a little too forcefully. "Yup. I'd be happy for her if I could be happy about what it takes to do some heroics out here."

Twocolt finished the last of his winter moss. "So what's this about?" he asked. "You don't like that she's doing so well?"

"No! It's just…darn it, I'm no good at this! It's just that…she's changing. Rainbow too. The scary part is that I think I'm changing too."

"You can't have possibly expected to stay the same as the pony you were in the Heartland when you ended up here."

Applejack finished off the rest of her water. "I know that!" she answered. "But…all of us came here so we can stay together! What's the point of that if we just fall apart now?"

"Maybe it's not as bad as you make it out to be," Twocolt said. "How long has it been since you've been here anyway? Give yourselves time to settle down."

Applejack exhaled and stood up. Lunch was finished and the rest of the platoon was heading out. "I hope you're right, Twocolt," she said.

As the platoon made their way back to their training grounds, Applejack noticed a commotion over at a distance. She nudged Twocolt and pointed towards the gathered ponies. "What's going on over there?" she asked.

"That's the unicorn mage training area," Twocolt said. "They're doing sparring too. Somepony must be putting on a show."

Applejack galloped over. "Let's take a look!" she called after Twocolt.

"We're going to get in trouble for this!" Twocolt called after her. "Oh, what they hay," he muttered. He galloped over as well.

The unicorn mage training ground was similar to the one that Applejack's platoon used. It had large, wide open spaces and dummies for target practice. The scorch marks on the ground, however, made it clear that it was a place to practice spells.

Applejack and Twocolt forced themselves into the crowd of unicorns to take a look. While Twocolt tried to squeeze into every available opening and apologized to anypony he accidentally shoved or stepped on, Applejack rammed her way in. She looked around the crowd of unicorns to see if she could find Twilight, but was met with no success. That meant that her friend was the center of attention of a crowd once more. The memory of the last time that happened was still fresh in her mind. She swore that if she saw Twilight tied to a post again, she was rushing to stop it, Prince Terrato's orders or not.

They made it to the front of the crowd to find two unicorns squaring off. One of them was a red-coated unicorn mare with a fluffy, bright pink mane. She looked slightly older than Applejack. The other one was Twilight Sparkle. Applejack had to look closer to make sure. The mage-coat hid the pony's flank, making it impossible to tell if there was a cutie mark or not. The purple coat was definitely Twilight's as was the straight, dark purple mane with the stripe, but something else made her hesitate in identifying her friend.

It was the eyes. This pony's face was swollen and beaten up just like Twilight's face this morning. Some of the swelling had gone down, letting her see with ease. This pony's eyes focused on her target with an intensity that Applejack had never seen in any pony. These were eyes that didn't see the gathered crowd, only her opponent and every opportunity to win. Her lips were pressed in a thin, grim line as her horn flashed with magic again and again.

The other unicorn was dodging for her life while bolts of purple energy flew from her opponent. Two of the bolts missed and struck the ground heavily. A third one pounded her back with the force of somepony's kick. Before she collapsed, the unicorn fired several bolts of pink energy from her horn. They flew straight towards her opponent only to fizzle when an enormous purple wall flashed in front of their target.

"Even Cloudfree," one of the unicorns next to Applejack said. "Damn, that Twilight Sparkle's kicking a lot of flank."

"I don't know what happened yesterday, but she's really on a tear now," another nearby unicorn replied. "She's already proven that she's the strongest recruit. Now, she's just beaten her first senior mage."

The name the unicorns used confirmed it. This was Twilight Sparkle. As Applejack shifted her attention to the crowd, she noticed a familiar, black-barded pony watching. "Vanguard!" she called out.

Vanguard Clash noticed her and motioned for her to come closer. She did so with Twocolt behind her. "What are you two doing here?" he asked. "Don't you have training of your own?"

"We saw the commotion and we just thought we'd check," Applejack replied.

"Oh, so it's 'we' now," Twocolt muttered.

"You're being a fuss-budget again, Twocolt. You're here too, aren't you?"

Twocolt sighed. "Yes," he said. "I'm here too."

"So what in tarnation is going on here, Vanguard?"

"It started out as your typical sparring training," Vanguard replied. "Well, that's what Mage Captain Owlsight told me. Apparently, Twilight trounced her sparring partner in less than a minute, then repeated that result for the next two who gave it shot. One of the senior unicorn magi thought that the chosen recruit was acting too high and mighty and challenged her. You just saw how that ended."

Applejack watched as Twilight let out a long exhale and dusted her hooves. Some of the recruits were cheering while the others simply watched her warily. Twilight didn't look happy with her victory. The way she paced around, Applejack wondered if she was waiting for the next one to step up. Nopony did. Applejack spotted Mage Captain Owlsight, who looked ready to take that challenge.

"That looks fun!" somepony yelled from the crowd. "May I go next?"

The crowd of unicorns parted to reveal the pony who had just shouted. It was another unicorn mare. This one had a dark blue coat with a deep purple mane in ringlets. "Nightcanter," Applejack heard Vanguard say in exasperation. "Of all the times-!"

"Who's Nightcanter?" Applejack asked.

"That's Special Operations Captain Nightcanter to us," Twocolt said.

Mage Captain Owlsight walked over to Nightcanter. The two of them started talking, but Applejack couldn't hear what their conversation was about. Eventually, Owlsight allowed Nightcanter to step into the sparring ground against Twilight, who looked shocked for a couple of seconds before composing herself. Nightcanter then looked over to Vanguard and winked.

"You gotta stop this!" Applejack told Vanguard. "Twilight's awesome and all, but she's not ready to take on a captain! Especially not with her face still like that!"

Vanguard was quiet for a while before answering. "I'd stop her," he said. "Then, I'd have two angry unicorn mares to deal with." He turned his attention back to Twilight. Applejack did the same, then realized why Vanguard had answered her that way. Twilight looked ready and eager. She wanted this.

The two unicorns squared off. While Twilight had a serious look on her face, Nightcanter had a confident smile. Their horns flashed with magic at the same time followed by cheers from the gathered unicorns.

A bolt of purple lightning erupted from Twilight's horn and streaked towards Nightcanter. Applejack nearly jumped at the sight. That was fast and that bolt looked dangerous. Twilight was trying to get the jump on Nightcanter with a ridiculously fast spell right off the bat.

Nightcanter had not been caught off-guard, however. She jumped to the side, narrowly dodging the bolt, then cast her spell. A globe of darkness enveloped Twilight, making it impossible to see what had happened to her. As quickly as it had appeared, the globe of blackness dispersed like fog. Twilight's horn shone with bright light as she emerged from the darkness.

"Did you see that?" Vanguard asked Applejack.

"See what?" Applejack asked in return. "Twilight being amazing?"

"Nightcanter casting another spell as soon as Twilight used a Daylight spell to disperse her darkness. She timed it so that the bright light hid the flash from her horn."

"I didn't see her cast anything. Besides, I don't see anything else happening."

"Neither does Twilight. That means she just lost."

"What are you talking about?" Applejack asked with a frown. "They look evenly matched to me!"

"It looks that way to Twilight too," Vanguard replied. "But 'looking' doesn't get you far against a pony like Nightcanter."

A barrage of tiny energy bolts, each one the size of a small apple, flew from Twilight, forcing Nightcanter to gallop about dodging them. They struck the ground with the force of hurled rocks and kept on coming. Twilight had concentrated on a sustained offensive to keep her opponent from retaliating while wearing her out. It seemed to be working. Nightcanter was no longer smiling as she continued to dodge. Applejack could only wait until the inevitable happened. Sure enough, it was a panting Nightcanter who stood in the middle of the sparring ground with bolts of energy coming at her from all directions. The bolts struck simultaneously.

Only for all of them to pass right through their target. They struck the ground all around her as if she were made up of nothing but air. Nightcanter simply stood there, grinning sheepishly. Gasps of surprise came from the crowd. Applejack saw Mage Captain Owlsight shake his head in disappointment.

"Nightcanter" simply faded away. Puzzled, Applejack blinked several times to check if her eyes were playing tricks, then looked around. Twilight ran forward to look around as well. Another moment passed and Nightcanter appeared out of thin air right next to her. She draped a foreleg over Twilight's neck and said something before patting her on the shoulder and walking away.

"What did she just say?" Applejack asked in awe.

"She said 'Checkmate'," Vanguard said. "She usually follows that up by slicing your throat open. Like I said, Twilight lost the moment she failed to notice that last spell."

The gathered unicorns began to disperse. From the way they talked, they hadn't had lunch yet. Nightcanter walked over to Vanguard and brushed against him. "Did you like what you saw?" she asked.

"You went too far, Captain Nightcanter," Vanguard answered.

"Oh, don't be a foal!" Nightcanter said. "These drill-heads thought that she was just showing off. Your whipping partner was looking to improve herself through experience. She'll be better prepared for that trick the next time and she'll thank me for it as soon as she stops looking so shocked over there."

Nightcanter shifted her attention towards Applejack. "And another one," she said. "Have you turned all these chosen into your harem, Vanguard?"

Vanguard didn't grace the question with an answer. "So what do you think of Twilight Sparkle?" he asked.

"Dangerous," Nightcanter replied, her face serious now. "She's accumulating too much power too quickly for the time she's spent out here. Apparently, somepony pulled a few strings to give her access to a bunch of advanced spell books."

"She has the talent for it," Vanguard said.

"I'm not doubting the talent, but you're being far too trusting of your new whipping partner, Vanguard. If she burns out, the flames will take out more than just her."

"Her heart's in the right place and I am watching out for her."

"You'll forgive me if I'm not very assured. Pyre Valor is still out there, remember?"

Vanguard didn't answer and Nightcanter went on her way.

"What was she talking about?" Applejack asked once Nightcanter was a good distance away. "What did she mean by Twilight burning herself out?"

"The two of you should get back to your platoon," Vanguard said. "If you stay here much longer, it'll be the whipping post for the both of you."

Applejack stayed there for a while, still waiting for a proper answer from Vanguard. Twocolt grabbed her by the harness and started dragging her away. "He's right," he said. "We're in trouble enough as it is."

As she let Twocolt drag her away, Applejack glanced back one last time towards Twilight. To her concern, her friend was smiling. It was a smile of triumph despite losing and, try as she might, Applejack couldn't bring herself to be happy for her friend.

* * *

><p>Night had fallen upon the Barrier Lands once again. While most of the legionnaires active during the day had turned in for some rest, the ponies of Medical remained wide awake. Doctor Redbrand had ordered everypony under his command to stay awake and alert with the pegasi of Reconnaissance making their first raid on the wolven army. There will be injured once the mission was over and every available hoof was needed to tend to them.<p>

Among those ponies was Fluttershy. Unlike some of her fellow recruits, who grumbled over lost sleep and extra work, she needed no incentive to stay up and ready to help. Rainbow Dash was a member of Flight Dreadwing, one of the flights assigned to take part in the raid, and she was worried that her friend might come back injured. She had been there just as the two flights were taking off so she could wish Rainbow good luck. She even tried cheering, but worry turned her already feeble voice into a half-dead mouse's squeak.

In response, Rainbow had looked at her with mostly indifference and a slight hint of embarrassment.

Tense hours passed as Fluttershy waited for Flight Dreadwing to return from their raid. From her post, she could hear distant howls and the sounds of battle. Eventually, those sounds died down and she saw the glow of fire light coming from where Flight Dreadwing and Flight Storm Dawn had headed to. Throughout the waiting, a scene kept replaying in her mind: two pegasus ponies flying a nearly-dead Rainbow to the ward, her trying everything to save her friend, Redbrand offering his flask to Rainbow before closing her eyes for her, all of her friends lamenting the loss.

Finally, Fluttershy heard the sounds of wings flapping followed by the sight of pegasi landing nearby.

"Don't just stand there waiting for the injured to be brought to you!" Redbrand barked. "Get over there and help!"

The medics swung into action. The two flights had suffered plenty of bolter related injuries. One pony had lost an eye while another had a crumpled wing. Fluttershy took care of every injured pony that came her way while keeping an eye out for Rainbow Dash.

"Hey, Fluttershy! Over here!"

Rainbow's voice caught Fluttershy by surprise, causing her to tighten her current patient's bandages a little too hard. Ignoring the angry yelp from her patient, she looked towards the sound of the call and found Rainbow and Scarlet walking towards her. To her horror, Rainbow had a large gash that ran from the left side of her snout to her upper lip. Her leather champron had been torn around the area. Her right foreleg also sported a vicious claw mark that was still bleeding. In addition, she also had several abrasions all around her body. Despite her wounds, Rainbow was grinning from ear to ear!

"Rainbow!" Fluttershy cried in panic. "You're hurt! What happened?"

"This idiot got clipped in the wing, then took a tumble!" Scarlet said between laughs. "You should have seen her jumping around like a madpony while the wolven were running after her rainbow-marked flank!"

Scarlet was so busy laughing that he didn't notice Fluttershy's angry glare. She focused her attention on Rainbow instead, forcing Scarlet Rabbit to her periphery. "How about your wing?" she asked as she grabbed the disinfectant. "Can you still fly?"

"I'm fine!" Rainbow replied. She raised the wing in question, revealing a small wound just around the tip. "It's just a bunch of scratches. You should have seen me, Fluttershy, I was awesome! No panicky random flying like the other day! I was a lean, mean, wolven-shooting machine!" With that, she poked Scarlet with a hoof. "I got seven! You owe me a drink, Scarlet!"

"I gotcha!" Scarlet said with a grin. "We should celebrate your first successful raid anyway! You better hold your liquor because I'm not paying for pony puke! On second thought...I might if it comes out rainbow-colored."

Rainbow Dash laughed while Fluttershy gazed at her warily. She had seen Rainbow laugh plenty of times, but the sounds coming out of her friend's mouth sounded so...different. The sound reminded her of a bear's angry growl or a snake's warning hiss. An ominous and dangerous sound. Something was terribly wrong here. The merriment from the two of them disturbed her and took away any relief she felt over Rainbow being safe at the end of her raid. Her eyebrows furrowed as she focused her attention on Scarlet Rabbit. It was him. He was doing something to Rainbow Dash. She didn't know what or how, but it had to be something he was doing. "You should get some rest," she told Rainbow Dash.

"Are you kidding?" Rainbow asked. "Scarlet's buying me drinks! I'm not resting yet!"

"But you've never drank a drop in your life!"

"Well, tonight sounds like a good time to start! You okay, Fluttershy?"

"I-! I'll be fine..." Fluttershy finished the last of the bandaging.

"Okay then. Thanks for patching me up! Let's get those drinks, Scarlet!"

The two pegasi trotted out of the ward merrily, leaving behind a very concerned Fluttershy.


	33. Silken Darkness

**Upheaval: Breaking Point**

**Chapter 33: Silken Darkness**

"I have to attend the General Logistics Meeting," Hammer Chain told Rarity. "Just watch the smithy and do what you can for the day. I'll take care of any orders meant for me as soon as I get back."

With that, Rarity's new teacher left the smithy to her care, a prospect that filled her with both a sense of achievement and nervousness. It was flattering that she had only been Hammer Chain's apprentice for a few days, but he was willing to leave his shop to her care. That trust made the prospect of disappointing him even more nerve-wracking.

Fortunately, she didn't have to do it alone. Spike had come along to assist her. The forge was ablaze with green flames. Hammer Chain was a little suspicious of using dragon breath for forging at first, but he eventually decided that there were no side-effects and that it was a quick way to start up the forge.

With Hammer Chain gone, however, Rarity didn't have much use for the forge. She asked Spike to keep it going in case he came back early or if she needed to make bolt-heads and buckles, the two things that she had learned how to forge so far. She had to admit that metalwork did give her as much of a sense of satisfaction as piecing together a dress. The ridiculous amount of heat from working at a smithy and the sweat that accompanied it, on the other hoof, left much to be desired.

"I hope he comes back soon," Rarity said. She had been looking forward to a lesson today, sweltering forge heat and all. She pulled out the first order of the day: a tattered piece of leather. Last night, the pegasi of Reconnaissance went out on a successful raid, having burned down plenty of the wolven army's supplies. However, success came with a price. By the time morning rolled in, there was plenty of damaged leather barding making their way to Hammer Chain's smithy.

"I don't," Spike said. "My back's still a little sore from all that stuff he had me lift yesterday!"

"You did say you wanted to help, Spike," Rarity replied. "Hammer Chain was just being prudent, that's all."

Spike stretched his back out and groaned. "I didn't know prudence was so painful," he muttered.

"Oh, come now. You should be glad that the Legion has a place for you." Rarity lifted a chest piece with her magic. The straps that held it together had all but rotten off. "Goodness, just look at this! You'd think that legionnaires would know better than to leave leather to soak in water! This one simply has to go! Spike, be a dear and fetch me those scissors, will you?"

Spike was quick to jump at the request. He found the scissors on top of a nearby crate and handed it over. "Here you go," he said.

The scissors had just been enveloped by Rarity's magic when the door to the shop opened. Both of them looked towards the smithy's first visitor. "Our sincerest apologies," she began. "Master Hammer Chain isn't available at the moment and-oh, my stars!"

It took all of Rarity's willpower to keep her jaw from dropping, but she was still reduced to silent staring when she saw who had entered. Beside her, Spike didn't even get to say a thing before being reduced to a wide-eyed statue.

Standing by the doorway was a beautiful unicorn mare. Her coat was a lustrous golden-tinged white while her flowing, golden mane and tail were mere inches from the floor. She had soft gray eyes that looked past sweeping eyelashes. She was wearing a wolven fur coat to protect against the cold outside, but the fur was pristine white rather than gray. "A pity," the unicorn said. "Fortunately, I'm not looking for Hammer Chain at the moment. I was hoping to find his new apprentice."

"New apprentice?" Rarity asked. She looked around in a panic. She had never heard of- "Wait," she said. "I'm the new apprentice. Y-you're looking for me?"

The unicorn laughed briefly. "Yes, I am," she replied. Her silky, deep tone sent tingles down Rarity's spine. With her magic, she lifted what appeared to be a legionnaire's mage-coat that had been draped over her back. "I saw you the other day wearing splendidly designed mage-coat. Would you modify mine for me in the same manner? I will pay a fee for your trouble of course."

"I-I certainly would!" Rarity answered. "It's an honor that you would find my design splendid, Miss, um…"

"You may call me Bright Flame. I am but a minor noble from Hearthstone City to the south."

'Nobility!' Rarity thought. 'No wonder! This is a good chance for me to impress!'

The prospect of encountering nobility in Prince Terrato's realm had been in the back of Rarity's mind since they had arrived. The Northern Barrier Land was a hard and savage place, a wilderness uninfluenced by ponies and besieged by both freezing weather and monstrous creatures. Still, she had held out a hope that, farther away from where the fighting was at its worst, there was elegance and sophistication. It had started out as a small hope within her when she had first arrived from the Heartland. It had become resolve, a full-blown principle even, when she first held up the mage-blades crafted by Hammer Chain. Just because something is dangerous doesn't mean that it can't be beautiful as well. The Barrier Lands, with all the violence and savagery within them, still had plenty of room for class and nobility. Lady Bright Flame just proved her right.

"It is my pleasure to meet you, Lady Bright Flame," Rarity said. She was beaming inside at the thought that a noble had taken notice of her even all the way out here, but she took care to maintain a composed exterior. She had already embarrassed herself earlier. "My name is Rarity."

"The pleasure is mine, Rarity," Bright Flame replied. "I never imagined that I would one day meet one of Princess Celestia's chosen."

The word "chosen" brought Rarity up short. She had heard the word spoken plenty of times. Often, it was said with derision. At best, it was said in indifference. This was the first time she had heard the word spoken as if it was something praiseworthy. "Why thank you," she replied. "I'll get to work on it right away." Rarity put aside the leather barding she had been cutting up. This was nobility she was talking about. Of course it was going to take top priority! "It should be ready in a couple of hours."

"I will wait then," Bright Flame said. She sat by one corner of the forge. "I hope you don't mind observers. I would love to see how you work."

A little flattered, Rarity coughed nervously. "I don't mind," she said, "but it is rather warm in here with the forge and everything. Are you sure you'll be fine?"

"Staying in Bastion City has accustomed me to small discomforts," Bright Flame replied. She focused on Spike, who hadn't stopped staring during the entire conversation. "I dare say it has been worth being trapped within this city by a wolven attack to encounter both a chosen and a dragon. What is your name, little one?"

Realizing that Bright Flame was talking to him, Spike wiped his mouth with the back of his claw before answering. "I-It's Spike," he said. "It's really wonderful to meet you, Lady Bright Flame. It's almost worth getting banish-ow!" he clutched his tail and looked behind him. Rarity was walking off to begin her modifications when she had trod on his tail.

"Oops. Sorry about that, Spike."

"A young dragon together with a chosen." Bright Flame mused aloud. "You must have a fascinating tale, Spike." Her horn flashed a dark aura, catching Rarity's attention briefly.

'That's odd,' Rarity thought. 'Did she just cast a spell? I don't see anything happening.' Figuring it to be her imagination, she went back to work.

"Oh, I can tell you all about it!" Spike said. Despite his throbbing tail, he was eager to impress.

Bright Flame leaned over with interest, a slight smile curving her lips. "Please do," she said. "I wouldn't mind starting at the beginning."

Spike started to grin a little foolishly when the unicorn mare turned her soft, gray eyes on him. "R-right," he replied. "From the beginning it is!"

An hour passed as Rarity worked on Bright Flame's mage-coat. She realized that she could be working faster, but her attention kept getting drawn to Bright Flame, who sat there listening intently while Spike told stories about the Heartland. At first, she was worried that Spike would quickly bore Bright Flame with his stories, but Bright Flame seemed to enjoy every word.

Spike had not been joking when he said that he was starting at the very beginning. His first story was his first meeting with Twilight, which was just after he had hatched. From there, he launched into anecdote after anecdote. As Rarity listened, she soon found herself marveling not just at Bright Flame's beauty and patience, but the depth of Spike's stories as well. For someone so young, Spike had an incredible ability to remember events. He had an encyclopedic mind and an eye for details, both likely honed by years of being Twilight's unofficial secretary and housekeeper. He told stories of Twilight's foalhood and her studies likely better than even the actual pony could ever tell them.

When his stories began to dip into his time in Ponyville, however, that was when things began to get a little embarrassing. Every time Spike's tales wandered a little too close for comfort, Rarity would clear her throat to warn him away. As the morning wore on, she was hoarse from clearing her throat too much and her progress with the mage-coat was slower than expected.

Through it all, Bright Flame smiled and nodded, chuckling at every bit of attempted humor on Spike's part. Rarity couldn't tell if it was genuine mirth or sheer politeness. Bright Flame also asked questions, mostly about Twilight's relationship with Princess Celestia and the Elements of Harmony, but she was also interested in Spike's ability to send out his friendship reports.

"Amazing," Bright Flame said. "Not only can your breath behave like any flame, but you can transport physical objects before Princess Celestia herself?"

"That's right!" Spike answered proudly.

"Truly a remarkable race."

Rarity felt something stifling her and wondered if it was the heat from the forge or Spike's ego slowly filling up the shop.

"It's true!" Spike's tone lowered. "But I can't do it anymore. Not since we ended up here."

"Why not?"

"I dunno. I tried it with a blank piece of paper and it just reappeared a few feet away. I guess Princess Celestia doesn't want to receive anything from us anymore."

The atmosphere within the smithy darkened with that statement. Without missing a beat, Bright Flame simply smiled and shook her head. "Nonsense. The distance and the barrier may simply be interfering. If Princess Celestia didn't want to receive anything from you, you would have burned that piece of paper up. Take heart, eventually you and your friends will figure out a way to overcome that obstacle."

True to her namesake, Bright Flame dispersed the gloomy atmosphere with ease. She glanced briefly at the forge, which continued to blaze with green flames, before refocusing her attention on Spike.

"You're right," Spike replied. He returned her smile and continued talking.

It was almost noon when Rarity was finally done. She held it up for inspection and looked over every detail carefully. This was her first piece for Barrier Lands nobility. She couldn't afford to mess up.

"And that's everything that's happened until this very day," Spike said.

"You've certainly led a wondrous life, Spike," Bright Flame remarked. "Thank you for sharing your story with me." She looked at Rarity. "I am more honored than ever to actually meet the bearer of the Element of Generosity itself as well as the bearer of the Element of Magic's close companion."

"It was my pleasure," Spike said earnestly. He looked a little disappointed that he had reached the end of his story.

Rarity found herself blushing slightly at the compliment as well. "Your mage-coat is ready," she said. She held it up with her magic for Bright Flame to inspect.

"Splendid, as I expected. Shall we discuss your fee?"

Rarity smiled and shook her head. "Free of charge," she said. "Having nobility wear something of my design for the first time in the Barrier Lands is more than enough."

Bright Flame looked a little surprised at first, but quickly matched Rarity's smile with her own. "As befitting of the Element of Generosity," she said. "If you will not take any payment then let me bequeath you with a gift instead." She lifted a single, golden coin from one of her coat's pockets and gave it to Rarity.

Rarity enveloped the trinket with her own telekinesis as it floated towards her. She turned it around to admire it. The coin was three times larger than a bit and engraved with an eight-rayed sun at its center. At the center of the sun was the engraving of an eye with a small, brilliant ruby for an iris.

"Keep it as proof that you are always welcome in my estate at Hearthstone City," Bright Flame said. "Show it to other nobility so they will know that you have a friend among them.

"Thank you!" Rarity replied, barely able to contain her excitement. The coin was more than enough payment for ten of those modified mage-coats.

"I have one for you too, Spike, for being good company," Bright Flame said as she leaned over and nudged him with her nose. Spike nearly fainted from the gesture. "For a dragon depended on so much by his friends, I have something more practical." A small black sphere floated out of her coat's pocket.

Spike seemed to recognize that sphere. "Is that…is that a mana battery like the one Twilight used to get here?" he asked.

Rarity remembered the gem she had found that had started all of this, then looked at the sphere that Bright Flame was now offering Spike. She had her misgivings, but such a kind mare like Bright Flame must have a good reason to offer such a gift.

"Yes…and no," Bright Flame answered. "This is a replenishment mana battery. It can be used to boost a spell like a normal one. It can also be used to restore the magic of a unicorn who has burned herself out from casting too many spells. From what you've told me, your dear friend, Twilight Sparkle, is in danger of that."

"Yes, that's right," Spike said. "This would definitely come in useful."

"I would also suggest that you keep it as a secret resource, to be used by your discretion alone. If Twilight Sparkle were to find out about it, she may just use it to boost one of her spells in her drive to master this realm's magic."

"That's also true. But why give it to me?"

"Because you are the wisest out of all your friends, Spike. In so many of your stories, your friends would have come out much better if they only listened to you. You would know best when to make use of it. If the worst comes to pass and Twilight Sparkle has depleted most of her magic, hold the sphere above her and will its power to flow into her. She will be glad to have someone like you watching out for her all along."

Spike stared at the sphere. He looked a little suspicious at first, but, upon hearing how he could use it to help Twilight Sparkle, he looked glad for such a gift. "I'll keep it just as you say," he told Bright Flame. "Thanks a lot."

"Think nothing of it," Bright Flame said. She headed towards the door with her new mage-coat. "I must take my leave now. Thank you again for this mage-coat, Rarity."

Both Rarity and Spike waved fondly as Bright Flame walked away. They found themselves still staring long after the unicorn was gone.

As Rarity closed the door, however, she put a hoof to her head and stumbled forward slightly. "Oh my," she said. "My head feels a little heavy all of a sudden."

"Me too," Spike replied. "Where did this come from?"

"I'm sure it's nothing," Rarity said. She looked over Bright Flame's gift once more and put it inside one of her mage-coat's pockets. Despite Hammer Chain's absence, today had been very profitable indeed.

* * *

><p>As Twocolt had expected, his sudden disappearance during yesterday's afternoon training resulted in punishment. He considered himself fortunate that he and Applejack had not been whipped. However, he was stuck with the particularly tedious job of training dummy making. The Legion went through the wooden cut outs of wolven quite quickly. Reconnaissance eventually destroyed them with crossbow practice while Magical burned through them even faster. "This is the last time I let you drag me into your shenanigans, Applejack," he muttered.<p>

"This ain't so bad," Applejack replied while she whittled away at her own piece of wood. It was an hour past noon already and they were just about done. "We're still helping the Legion aren't we? It's better than getting whipped."

"Oh, so that's your standard now, is it? I swe-!" Twocolt stopped himself as he saw a familiar pony out of the corner of his eye. "Cover for me will you?" he asked Applejack. Without waiting for a reply, he dashed towards a nearby alley where he saw the pony.

As he had guessed, he found none other than Lady Bright Flame standing before him. "My lady!" he said. He knelt in respect. "It's dangerous to be out here. There are-!"

"I know, Twocolt," Bright Flame replied. "I would not come out here if this wasn't important. I have terrible news. Most of the order stationed here have been discovered by Prince Terrato's Special Operations ponies and killed."

Twocolt's eyes widened. He was grateful that he was already kneeling as he now doubted his legs ability to keep him standing. "Most of the order" Lady Bright Flame had said. For all he knew, he was the only pony who hadn't been caught by Special Operations. How had this happened? Was there a spy among them? Had somepony committed such a terrible error that the order was found out? "What…what should be done now, my lady?" he asked.

"This will be the last time I will meet with you, Twocolt," Bright Flame answered. "There are agents of Special Operations all around and we will be discovered if we're not careful. I will contact you through missives after this."

"Understood. What are my orders now?"

"You have done well in befriending Applejack. It's time to put that bond to good use. Here is what I want you to do…"

Twocolt listened to his order intently. With the order gone, he was the only pony left that still served Equestria's true ruler. More than ever, he couldn't fail.

"Twocolt!" Applejack called out.

"Go now," Bright Flame said. "Be careful, Twocolt." With that, she hurried and disappeared after turning a corner.

Twocolt looked at her until she was gone before concentrating on getting back. "I'm here!" he answered. He emerged from an alley and walked towards Applejack. "Are we done?" he asked.

"Yup. No thanks to you," Applejack said. "Where'd you run off to anyway?"

"I saw an old acquaintance of mine. I had to go talk to her."

"You could have introduced us, you know."

"She's the shy type. Besides, one of us had to keep on working."

"Uh huh. You owe me now, Twocolt."

"You mean we're even."

The two of them headed back to their platoon while carrying the load of training dummies on their backs.


	34. Observations

**Upheaval: Breaking Point**

**Chapter 34: Observations**

Among the various divisions within the Equestrian Legion, none was the subject of more speculation than Special Operations. Whether it was their method of recruitment, the nature of the tasks given to them, the things they did to accomplish those tasks, or even the way they were organized, stories continued to promulgate. There were the old, persistent ones that had been around for centuries such as the one about Special Operations assassinating ponies who went against Prince Terrato's wishes or those about horrifying rituals that each aspiring member had to go through.

There were also more recent stories. The general opinion was that the blame for losing FangBreaker Fortress lay mostly upon their shoulders and that they had spies among the populace "removing" anypony spreading defeatist talk. It didn't help that a lot of ponies had disappeared recently.

For Vanguard Clash, Special Operations was a far cry from the entire sinister mystique that the rest of the Legion often accorded to it. They were ponies just like the rest of Prince Terrato's subjects. They had their role in the Legion and they were subject to both success and failure just like any division. Then there was the tedious task that Special Operations shared with its fellow divisions: paperwork.

In his small office within one of the many buildings now appropriated by the Legion, Vanguard sifted through the pile of papers before him before setting them on a neat pile by his desk. He had just finished sending a report about the section of the city he had been assigned to make a sweep of as well as the chosen he had been monitoring. For this morning, two days after Pyre Valor's attempt on Bastion City, he was going through recommendations.

Vanguard was well aware that he still needed a unicorn mage and an earth pony skirmisher for his squad. Both Magical and Infantry had sent him their recommendations. Special Operations was flexible enough to let him decide on who goes into his squad, but he was also reminded that the sooner he got it back at full strength, the better it would serve the Legion. He looked through the list of unicorn candidates and frowned. He respected the abilities of these legionnaires, but he also knew that Pyre would have plowed through them in single combat if she was still here.

'I have to stop comparing them to Pyre or the position will never be filled,' Vanguard reminded himself. His former vice-captain was both a gifted genius and a very driven pony. Such a combination was a rare thing indeed. The ones recommended by Magical had one or the other, but not both. He did know of such a unicorn however...he shook his head. He couldn't involve that pony.

The thought reminded him of another thing. As of the present, Scarlet Rabbit was his acting vice captain by virtue of being the only member of his squad. That didn't sit in too well with him. Scarlet was a reliable pony: fast, strong, and utterly fearless, but he didn't belong in any sort of leadership position. It was only acceptable now because there were no actual ponies taking orders from him. That left the position to his two potential new members. As he continued to study the candidates, the door to his office opened. He looked up to find his mother walking up to his desk. "Do you need something, Flight Captain?" he asked.

"Yes, I do," Tailwind replied. "I need to know how long you plan on keeping Scarlet Rabbit hanging around my flight."

"I've already explained his purpose there," Vanguard said.

"It's not his mission that's problematic, it's the manner he's going about it!" Tailwind thumped Vanguard's desk with a hoof for emphasis. "Tell him to watch subtly from afar instead of constantly fraternizing with Rainbow Dash!"

Vanguard frowned. "What's wrong?" he asked. "Did he get her in trouble?"

"He introduced her to the fine art of boozing the other day," Tailwind said. "He was smart enough to make sure that she could show up for duty the following morning without falling over herself. Otherwise, I would have had to introduce her to the whipping post."

"It seems to me that Scarlet is showing some restraint for once. He's also offering her some camaraderie. Shouldn't that be a good thing for a chosen?"

"It would be coming from any pony besides Scarlet Rabbit," Tailwind retorted. "You should see for yourself as to how those two look at each other. Rainbow Dash sees a target, a pony she can chase in order to be the best. Scarlet…her potential's got him interested. You know that's bad news."

"You're the one who insisted that I bait Rainbow Dash into racing against him."

Tailwind's face twisted slightly, a sign of embarrassment as Vanguard had come to learn. "I underestimated her speed. I knew she was fast from what you said, but I didn't expect her to be fast enough to catch his eye. What's worse, I've underestimated that pride of hers."

"I'll tell him to keep his distance," Vanguard said with a sigh. "I can't reassign him. You've seen her speed. He's the only pegasus for the job."

"You'd better. I'm not excited about covering up another mess like the one with Overcast."

"Noted," Vanguard replied.. He returned to looking over the recommendations. When Tailwind didn't leave his office, he looked up at her.

"You still haven't picked replacements for your squad?" Tailwind asked.

"I've given it plenty of thought."

Tailwind looked over the papers from her side of the desk. "These are some good candidates," she said, "but I suggest you get Twilight Sparkle. I saw her spar yesterday. It's ridiculous how quickly she's improving."

"No," Vanguard answered. His response was so quick and vehement that Tailwind looked at him with concern.

"Why not?" Tailwind asked. "So she's only been in the Legion for less than a month. You can work with that. A month or two of action and she'll either be dead or one of our best legionnaires yet."

"She's out here because I listened to a stupid impulse. She's had to kill wolven, get whipped on my account, and get beaten up by Pyre Valor for a grudge she doesn't deserve. I'm not going to subject her to the things Special Operations gets up to." Vanguard's mind went back to the time he saw Twilight after her first battle and the conversation they had after that. That was just for killing wolven. For killing wolven, Twilight had lost something irreplaceable. Special Operations dealt with ponies and wolven. He didn't know if he could ever forgive himself if he let her lose more by joining Special Operations, whether his squad or somepony else's.

"Yet you took the time and effort to convince Owlsight to skip protocol and give her some of the advanced spell books. You can't have it both ways, Vanguard. You can't give her the tools for the job, then tell her she can't do the job." Tailwind raised an eyebrow. "Now that I've mentioned it, why did you go out of your way to help her out like that?"

Vanguard looked away. "She could use all the help when it comes to fighting wolven," he replied.

"So does every unicorn mage in the Legion," Tailwind retorted. "I don't see you tripping over yourself to help them."

"It sounds like you have the entire story plotted out in your head." Vanguard set aside the papers and focused on Tailwind. "Why don't you just tell me what you think?"

"You want to protect her from the worst of the fighting, but she bats her eyelashes at you and asks for more spells. What do you do? You hurry over and hand her what she wants. You've fallen for this mare, Vanguard, and she's got you running in two directions at once."

Vanguard sighed. Not this again. "You think I've fallen in love with her or you want me to fall in love with her?" he asked.

"Both," Tailwind said without so much as blinking. "Nothing wrong with me wanting my stupid son to settle down with a mare is there?"

"Your stupid son is settled down, mother. I have a lot to do and little enough time to do them without having to waste some chasing tails and grabbing flanks."

"Marrying your work isn't going to pop out any grandchildren for me. I'll be fine with any mare." Tailwind paused. "Except Nightcanter. I don't want that grimy nag for a daughter-in-law."

"Equestria will do just fine without more wolven-blooded foals running about."

"As if one-sixteenth would even mean anything!" Tailwind walked towards the door, but looked back one last time. "Whether it's love or recruitment, you'd better move fast with that one, Vanguard Clash. She's not going to be available forever."

"Good day, Flight Captain," Vanguard replied. As Tailwind opened the door to leave, another pony was just about to enter.

Nightcanter slid past Tailwind, ignoring the disapproving look from the older pony. "Vanguard, we've got them!" she said as soon as Tailwind had shut the door behind her. She lowered her tone as she continued. "Three rebel cells are meeting up tonight and we've managed to get the time and location."

"That's an unusually good bit of news."

"About time, I say. Time to hit these malcontents hard."

Vanguard looked over the candidates one more time. Ever since his squad had been reduced to just him and Scarlet, he had been working closely with Nightcanter's squad. "So when is it and what's the plan?" he asked.

"Tonight," Nightcanter answered. "We're working with Blaze Trotter's squad for an ambush."

"Good," Vanguard said. He wasn't a thrill seeker like Scarlet Rabbit, but the past couple of days had been uneventful and he was feeling restless. They had threats outside the city and threats within. Even a few hours of not dealing with either made him feel like he was wasting time. "We'll be ready by then."

* * *

><p>As another day ended, Twilight Sparkle made her way back to her quarters at a steady, satisfied pace. Today had been routine: boulder catching, target practice, several sparring sessions with the senior unicorn mages, then a few hours of study. It seemed so strange that she could find some routine when the city was under attack. It was a siege, as Mage Captain Owlsight had reminded her, and the wolven were here for the long run.<p>

Despite that routine, today had been beneficial. With each passing day, she was becoming more and more attuned to the magic of the Barrier Lands. Casting spells was becoming easier and she was able to lift more with her telekinesis. She had added a few more spells to her repertoire as well.

"Hey, Twilight!"

Spike's voice surprised Twilight. While Mage Captain Owlsight didn't want him around, Hammer Chain was glad to let him help out. "What are you doing out here, Spike?" she asked. "Shouldn't you be with Rarity?" She stopped briefly to allow Spike to climb on to her back before continuing.

"I thought I'd watch how you trained from afar," Spike answered. "I saw the sparring and stuff."

Twilight raised her head slightly. As modest as she wanted to be, she was a little proud of her accomplishments. Even the senior unicorn magi were impressed. Mage Captain Owlsight himself remarked on her mastery of multiple schools of magic, something few unicorns were capable of. "So how was it?" she asked.

"You were pretty scary back there, Twilight," Spike said. "Scary and violent. I thought that third pony who was fighting you had died!"

The feeling of satisfaction and pride disappeared. "I did push a little too hard with him," Twilight said. "But he was fine! He said so himself. And there's no need to be scared of me, Spike. I'd never hurt you or any of my friends."

"You're right," Spike replied.

Although Spike's mouth had agreed with her, but it disturbed Twilight to notice that rest of him didn't follow suit. Though he said nothing else, she felt the need to defend herself further.

"The sparring is necessary," she said. "It lets us sharpen our skills without being thrown into actual combat and all its risks. It looks dangerous, but it's all controlled."

"It may be 'necessary', Twilight," Spike replied. "But necessary doesn't mean you have to be so in to it. I heard the other unicorns say that you've been sparring almost non-stop ever since you came back that day with your face all swollen up! It's like all you've been thinking about these days is how to beat up ponies and wolven!"

Frowning, Twilight looked back to the last couple of days. Everything seemed to be a blur of activity. When Nightcanter defeated her with a simple illusion, she delved into methods of countering that: noticing when a pony had turned invisible, telling a false image from the real thing, and purging invisibility. Each time she thought she had her bases covered, another method of attack came to mind. Each spar brought more insights which had her searching for more and more means to improve herself. It wasn't just a wide range of spells she needed. There were so many little things she had learned to be mindful of: noticing spell casting in the heat of battle, dodging, timing, feinting, noticing feints…it was all so much to take in. She had a long way to go before being able to hold her own against the strongest spell casters of the Barrier Lands and she refused to believe that Spike was right about her obsessing about this.

"I've been thinking of other stuff too," Twilight muttered.

"Like what?" Spike asked. A few ponies walked past them in a hurry. With evening settling in, the streets were quickly becoming deserted. It seemed that, ever since the incident with Pyre Valor, civilian ponies were becoming afraid to come out at night. They feared clashes between the Legion and infiltrating enemies.

"Well…I have been meaning to write a friendship report of sorts," Twilight said. That wasn't quite true. It had been simmering in the back of her mind for some time now, but she never really managed to focus on it. Still, it would mollify Spike for now.

"A friendship report?" Spike asked. "Why? I mean how would you even send it? And what for? We're not exactly learning about friendship out here."

"That's where you're wrong, Spike. We're always learning about friendship whether in the Barrier Lands or the Heartland."

"And what's this friendship report about?"

"It's not really a report. More of a…friendship thesis, if you will. I want to show Princess Celestia that ponies can still be ponies even out here in the Barrier Lands. I'll worry about how to send it later. If I can prove that harmony is stronger than any violence or bitterness that fighting fosters, she'll see that there's no need to keep up this division."

Spike looked at Twilight. A small measure of relief crossed his face. Just a small one. "I hope it is," he said muttered.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Twilight snapped.

"N-nothing!" Spike backpedaled. "S-so...uh, how are you going to go about this friendship thesis?" he asked. "Can I help?"

Faced with Spike's questioning, Twilight was briefly at a loss. The idea had been sitting in the back of her mind, but it was half-baked at best. Maybe not even that. Discussing it with Spike, however, did seem a good idea. "I'll start with observation." she replied. "I'll gather as much proof as I can, then present the best of them with my arguments in an agreeable manner, just like the princess taught me."

"I can help with the observing part," Spike said. He brightened at the idea. "So who have you been watching so far?"

Twilight stopped. This was bad. She had to come up with an answer before Spike found out that she hadn't even started anything. Her mind latched on to the first Barrier Lands pony that came to mind. "Vanguard Clash," she answered.

A few moments of silence passed between the two of them. "Vanguard Clash, huh?" Spike asked. His tone was more than enough to put Twilight on the defensive, albeit for a different reason.

"What?" Twilight asked. "What's wrong with Vanguard?"

"So you've been spending your time between beating up ponies and staring at Vanguard?"

"I don't stare at him! Besides, this is for research!" The wheels began to turn within Twilight's head. Though she had answered out of impulse, ideas came naturally when her mind grasped the concept. "I mean, he's perfect as an example! Princess Celestia is afraid that the ponies of the Legion are becoming more and more like wolven. Vanguard actually has wolven blood, but I can honestly say that he is as true a pony as any of our friends back in the Heartland. If a pony with an actual wolven lineage can be a true pony by Princess Celestia's standards, any pony from the Barrier Lands can be too."

"How'd you figure that?"

"Well, he's honest even if it means he's going get hanged, he's loyal to Prince Terrato and the Legion as well as his friends, he showed all of us kindness when we all arrived in this place for the first time and he's generous enough so that he shared his food with me and paid for our stuff."

"You missed Joy."

"What?"

"You've got Honesty, Loyalty, Kindness and Generosity. You're missing Joy and Magic."

"Oh, uh…he smiles often? It's not exactly fits of laughter, but he knows how to take joy in things whenever he can. He's just not the sort of pony who bursts into fits. The magic of friendship is what binds these things together and he's able to befriend others."

"That joy part comes off a little weak, Twilight," Spike said. As he said so, both of them noticed that they were already by their quarters. He dismounted and walked ahead. "So does that mean you're going to observe other ponies now or are you going to continue 'observing' Vanguard? Maybe try to get him to smile some more?"

The snicker that followed the question put a slight frown on Twilight's face. "Spike!" she chided him.

Spike raised his hands in mock surrender before opening the door. It seemed that they were the first to make it back. "I'm glad that you're doing other things besides getting better at fighting, Twilight," he said. "Now, I'm really hoping there's something that can be done with my dragon fire so it can send messages again and..."

Fire. The mention of the word burned out the pleasant mood Twilight found herself settling into. She remembered the burns that still hurt around her underside and the mild pain still all over her face. Pyre Valor's enraged face loomed in her mind. Not every pony was going to be a good example. Some ponies out here were just cruel, prejudiced, violent, treacherous, hateful…

"Uh…Twilight?" Spike stepped back. Fear marred his expression. Twilight found it a little disturbing. Why was Spike acting as if she was an angry word away from attacking him? Had he forgotten that they were practically family?

Twilight forced a smile and headed over to her desk. "Sorry about that, Spike. I think I'll hit the books some more before resting." She opened one book on a spell that had grabbed her attention earlier.

Spike nodded silently, then sat as far away as possible from Twilight. She barely noticed this, however, so engrossed was she in learning even more.


	35. Ambush

**Upheaval: Breaking Point**

**Chapter 35: Ambush**

It was already late in the night by the time Vanguard noticed some movement from his hiding place. Even the more populated areas of Bastion City's southern section had gone quiet. More-so the abandoned warehouse he was watching. All around him were crates full of construction equipment as well as piles of bricks and plywood. Next to him were Nightcanter and the earth ponies in her squad. Scarlet Rabbit and the other pegasi involved in the mission lurked the shadowy beams that supported the roof of the large building. He looked over to the other side of the meeting spot where Blaze Trotter and the rest of his squad waited. In addition to Blaze Trotter and Nightcanter's squads, fifth and sixth squad respectively, they were also working with eighth squad under Captain Hoofbreak who was hiding right next to Blaze Trotter. With three and a half Special Operations squads, they had numbers and surprise on their side.

The warehouse was dark and shadowy with only a few thinly distributed lanterns from the streets to provide light. The time should be about right, but Vanguard didn't see anypony from the Black Rose rebels. From the way Nightcanter shifted next to him, he could tell that she was also perturbed by the lack of attendees for the secret meeting. She glared at Blaze Trotter's direction, who was the one who had come upon this information. Vanguard himself felt some disappointment, but part of him was suspicious of the whole scenario. Three cells did seem too good a catch to be true.

Just as Vanguard was about ready to consider the mission a failure, a group of five ponies entered the warehouse. 'Well, that's one cell,' he thought. He was close enough to listen in on the rebels' conversation.

"This is crazy," one of the ponies said. "Three cells meeting in one place is a recipe for disaster with the Legion cracking down hard on us all."

"We don't disobey dead-drop orders," another pony with a husky voice replied.

"I'll bet that those ponies still hanging inside the dungeons did exactly that," was the reply. "Four cells have been caught and executed since we started operations here."

"Quiet!" the other pony whispered harshly. "Somepony's coming!"

Vanguard watched as a second group of ponies showed up. Just as Stoneshod had mentioned from before, individual cells kept their identities hidden from the others. The two cells that Special Operations had successfully captured had little information to share because of this partitioning. He had considered the implications of such an organization. These Black Rose rebels were being led by somepony capable of moving multiple isolated groups in concert, something that would take a great deal of tactical mastery and an incredibly efficient method of communication. If what he had heard from Commander Dreadstep was true, this pony was none other than Black Rose herself.

"Why is there only one cell here?" one of the new arrivals asked. "Where's the rest?"

"We just arrived here ourselves. What did you receive in your dead-drop orders?"

"Just this location and a mention of an important meeting. Same as you?"

Vanguard frowned at this. Even these ponies had no idea why they were here. Unless Special Operations captured whoever had set this meeting up, they would be hard-pressed to pump any useful information out of these ponies.

The third cell finally showed up. Like the first two, they didn't know what the meeting was for either. Vanguard tensed. That meant that their leader or at least a pony high up in their hierarchy was going to show up to explain.

"Thank you for coming."

The voice startled Vanguard, forcing him to grit his teeth and look around. There was a pony now standing in the middle of the three cells. From the voice, he guessed that it was a mare. But how did she get there? Teleportation? He hadn't seen any telltale flash of magic. He listened carefully. This could very well be the leader of the Black Rose Rebellion.

"You have all been doing well despite the Legion's attempts at rooting you out," the leader continued. "Thanks to your efforts, the movement is at the precipice of getting to Princess Celestia."

Some of the rebels spoke among themselves. Vanguard noticed the pleased tone that they took.

"The next part of the movement's plan is about to commence and it will require a great deal of magic. In short, we will need mana batteries."

"We lost several in FangBreaker Fortress," one of the rebels said. "But I know that Bastion City has a few in stock for emergencies. How much do we need?"

"A fifty carat one will suffice."

"Fifty carats!"

The gathered cells argued among themselves. Even Vanguard raised an eyebrow. Mana batteries were naturally formed in areas where great battles of magical power took place. From what Pyre Valor had told him, it took great amounts of discharged magical power and the blood of magically gifted creatures soaking into the soil to form them. They were more common to the south where battles between unicorn magi and ophidite shamans were vicious and deadly, but even here and to the west, they could be found. A mana battery of that size...no, even a mana battery half that size was extremely rare.

"We could scour the entire north and not find one that's even near that size!" one of the rebels said.

"You're asking for the impossible!" another one added.

The leader threw back her hood, revealing a black coat, a long, flowing, crimson mane and an already glowing horn. "Have faith," she said with an assuring smile. "All we need are fifteen volunteers to give their lives for the cause. You should be honored."

The floor just beneath the rebels burst with brilliant white light, revealing a circle of strange markings that surrounded them. Before they could react, arcs of black electricity erupted from the leader's horn and surrounded each of them. They cried out and stumbled back. The leader's magic lifted each of them into the air. Several masks dropped to the ground, revealing a lot of horns and a few faces. Vanguard grit his teeth as he recognized some of them. Some of these traitors were legionnaires that he knew! "Let's go!" Vanguard whispered harshly to Nightcanter. Both of them burst from their hiding places with blades out and a spell ready to fire. Nightcanter's squad was right behind them.

Before they could close in, however, the helpless ponies cried out in pain and terror. Their eyes glowed and what appeared to be luminous, white smoke escaped from their mouths. The smoke coalesced just by the leader's horn's tip, forming a large sphere that glowed a soft blue light. As the spell dissipated, fifteen dead bodies dropped to the ground.

"Hold it right there!" Nightcanter exclaimed. "We're taking you in, Black Rose!" Though there was no confirmation, but it was easy for her to associate this powerful, murderous unicorn with the name. Vanguard could only agree.

Black Rose smiled as three squads of Special Operations ponies surrounded her. "I must say I'm impressed. I only allowed a single small clue to escape about this meeting, but Special Operations latched on to it as if I had been sending out singing telegrams," she said.

"Oh, shut up!" Scarlet yelled. He aimed his crossbow at Black Rose's head and fired.

The bolt whizzed unerringly towards its target, then winked out of existence. Vanguard barely had time to be puzzled when he heard a sharp cry from Scarlet. He looked up to see the red pegasus struggling to stay aloft and wincing in pain. The shaft of a crossbow bolt was buried in his flank.

"I'm so sorry," Black Rose said. "I hope it's not too deep."

Vanguard refocused on Black Rose, expecting to see a mocking smile or a cruel sneer on her face. The sincerity in both her tone and expression took him aback. The dissonance between the serene look on her face and the sight of the dead bodies all around her left him hesitant of what to do next or if he even had a chance in this situation. The others inched closer, drawing their circle tighter around Black Rose.

"Please reconsider any more hostilities," Black Rose told them. "You are a squad and a half more than I expected, but you are confronting me in a place I set up and at a time of my choosing. If I feel even the slightest bit threatened, I have a hundred escape routes ready and that's because I am inclined to be merciful to such brave ponies of the Legion. You may attack and I will simply escape or you can settle down for a talk and end this night on a more productive note. What do you say?"

Vanguard looked to Nightcanter, then to Blaze Trotter and Hoofbreak. They nodded at him as a decision silently formed among them. They were in over their heads. It took Black Rose a single spell to kill fifteen ponies. Though she was unarmored, she was likely surrounded by several powerful defensive spells. Scarlet had just paid the price for attacking recklessly. With a brief signal from their captains, the rest of the ambush backed up and lowered their weapons.

"Thank you," Black Rose said. "As a reward for this small kindness, I am willing to answer some of your questions to a degree before we part ways."

"You killed them," Nightcanter said. "These ponies were on your side and you killed them because you needed a mana battery?"

"Oh, that's where you're wrong," Black Rose replied. "I appreciate you bringing me to an important point I need to make. I didn't start this 'Black Rose Rebellion' and I certainly found it offensive that they went about using my name. All I did was chance upon a group of ponies planning to betray the Legion, then decided to put their foalish cause to good use."

"That doesn't explain why you killed them," Nightcanter insisted.

"Unfortunately, they were getting a little out of hoof and needed some trimming. I also wasn't lying when I said I needed a mana battery. You should be glad that I made your job a little easier. Please take this as a sign that I still have, not just the Legion's, but Equestria's best interests in mind."

"You've allowed the wolven to break past our defenses and you've caused chaos by letting these rebels run about," Vanguard said. "How can you say that you are on the Legion's side?"

"We all have our parts to play, breaker," Black Rose said with a sly smile. "You already know a thing or two about going against something out of loyalty to it and your part is far from done."

Before Vanguard could say anything else, Black Rose glanced towards a nearby window. "My, it's certainly quite late. I must take my leave now."

"Wait!" Nightcanter called out.

"Tell my beloved that he only has to wait for a little while longer," Black Rose said. "Oh, and tell him not to worry, I'll return your fellows eventually." Black arcs of electricity crackled around her horn, then exploded, filling the entire warehouse with powerful magic. Vanguard tried to jump aside, but a bolt of lightning struck him on the chest, flinging him across the warehouse and knocking him into several crates. Several crashes followed his. He struggled to stand up and choked as clouds of dust flew up all around him. He could hear a few ponies swearing and groaning of pain.

"Celestia drill my backside!" Nightcanter hissed from nearby. "She played us for foals!"

Vanguard got to his hooves and looked around. Scarlet was still injured and the blast would have made it worse. "Why did she attack us?" he asked. "If she wanted to escape, she could have done so easily."

"I don't know," Nightcanter answered. "Showing off? She didn't need to prove that she had us outclassed. Just refining a mana battery from unwilling sacrifices did it for me."

"We'll see," Vanguard grunted. "Is everypony alright?" he called out.

"I'm fine!" Scarlet answered. "My flank's still bleeding, but I'm fine!"

The rest of Nightcanter's squad sounded off as well. Frowning, she called out. "Blaze Trotter! Hoofbreak! What's wrong?"

There was no reply. The dust cloud settled down, giving them a better view. Scarlet and the rest of Nightcanter's squad ran up to them. Nightcanter couldn't see a single pony from the fifth and eighth squads. "There's your answer," she said.

Vanguard continued to look around to check for any signs of his missing comrades. When he didn't find any, he cursed under his breath.

"We just lost two squads," Nightcanter said. "I hope you're about to get yours back up to full strength soon, Vanguard. We'll need it."

Vanguard looked at the dead ponies. Nightcanter was right. He also realized that the Legion needed a unicorn mage capable of matching Black Rose or she would continue to do as she pleased. His thoughts went towards a particular pony once again. He shook his head. "No," he whispered firmly to himself.

* * *

><p>It was close to midnight by the time Rainbow Dash made it back to the quarters she shared with her friends. The streets were empty and the only light came from street lamps. A few of her flight mates had invited her over to share a few drinks with them after training and she had obliged. Still following Scarlet Rabbit's advice, she had kept the boozing to a few glasses knowing that showing up drunk for work would result in a whipping. All she had to do was remember Twilight being lashed to motivate her to stay sober. Still, even a few glasses could be made to last an entire evening with the right ponies around.<p>

At first, Rainbow Dash felt a little annoyed that most of her flight mates called her names like "kid", "newbie" and "wet-wing", but it did have some upside to it. They were happy to show her around and tell her how the flight did things. They were also inclined to be a little lenient at times.

Outside duty hours, however, Flight Dreadwing knew how to loosen up. Ever since the last raid, she found herself invited often to a little drink after duty. "You showed potential during the first rush, Rainbow Dash, but the last raid was where we could say you were really blooded!" Spring Breeze, one of the senior pegasi, had said. It was a good feeling, being praised and accepted for excelling at something. When she had boasted that she was going to get a Dreadwing insignia soon, they had laughed heartily and clapped her on the back.

It wasn't all just boasting and praise. In Storm Brew's pub, she was treated to not just the occasional free drink, but also stories of past battles and incidents. She listened eagerly. She didn't care much one way or another about killing. She had realized that it simply didn't trigger any emotion so, taking Scarlet's advice, she stopped caring about it. The thrill of battle however, of flying through desperate, nigh-impossible odds, of dodging death by the skin of your teeth, that made her feel...and it felt good. Even just hearing of past battles got her pumped.

As she was flying home, Rainbow realized that she may have enjoyed the stories too much. It was late by the time she realized that she needed some sleep. As she winged her way lazily towards the quarters she shared with the others, she was surprised to find a pony standing just in front of the entrance.

"'bout time you showed up!" Applejack said.

Rainbow Dash landed hesitantly in front of her friend. She didn't like the tone Applejack used, but she didn't want to start anything. "Sorry," she said sheepishly. "Me and some of my flight mates went out for a little drink and I sort of didn't notice the time."

Applejack took a sniff of the air around Rainbow and wrinkled her nose. "You sure it was little?" she asked. "That's a powerful smell for 'little'. You should be careful with that new drinking habit of yours."

Rainbow's lips twitched a bit as she looked at Applejack. A second of trying to hold it in later, she burst out laughing.

"What is so darn funny?" Applejack asked. "I'm trying to be serious here!"

"I can't help it!" Rainbow said. "I'm being lectured about drinking by a pony named after a drink!" Still snickering, she tried to sidle past Applejack and go through the door.

"Not so fast!" Applejack planted herself in front of the door. "I'm not done yet."

Irritation crept across both Rainbow's face and the tone of her voice. "What do you want from me, Applejack? I was in a good mood and you're ruining it."

"I want to talk about you avoiding us. Don't say you're not. You're always in a hurry to leave in the morning and you're always the last to arrive in the evening. What's going on, RD?"

"I don't know how you ponies over at Infantry do things, but my flight starts its day early and ends it late. And if I want to go out with my flight mates to relax, that's my business!"

"And what about those things you told us a few days ago? About feeling sorry for monsters and enjoying fighting?"

"There is nothing to talk about, Applejack. I'm in the right here. Sooner or later, you, Twilight and the others are all going to come around and stop feeling sorry over a bunch of monsters."

Applejack stared incredulously at Rainbow Dash. "Now see here, Rainbow Dash, that's the sort of thinking that's got all of us worried," she said. "It's one thing to have to fight and another to enjoy it! Fluttershy says you've been acting weird since you've been hanging out with Scarlet."

"I have not been acting weird," Rainbow said through grit teeth. "It's all of you that have been acting weird! At least Twilight is starting to get it, but you, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie and Rarity aren't!" Rainbow stepped back and gestured towards her surroundings. "Look around you, Applejack. We're not on some vacation. This is our new home! Like it or not, we're stuck here forever! You can't afford to keep acting like a…" She hesitated briefly before hardening her expression and continuing. "…like a spoiled, candy-hoofed chosen!"

Applejack stared at Rainbow quietly, stunned by the angry lashing from her friend. "Your flank has a cutie mark just like the rest of us, Rainbow," she said in a low tone. "Toughening up because of this place is all well and good, but that doesn't mean you should forget the things we learned in the Heartland. Sticking by your friends for one thing! Have you forgotten why we all came here in the first place?"

Rainbow flapped her wings and hovered just above Applejack. "I may still look the part, but I'm done being a chosen. Scarlet's right, you have to be crazy if you can't take joy in something you'll be doing for the rest of your life. If you can't deal with that, Applejack, you can run over to Prince Terrato and beg him to take you somewhere safe." Her lips curled into a sneer. "Like a wuss."

"That's it!"

Applejack jumped Rainbow, grabbing a hold of her neck before she could fly away and dragging her down to the ground. Rainbow struck the stone pavement first, her breath whooshing out of her lungs from the impact. She recovered quickly and smashed a hoof to the side of Applejack's head.

Both enraged, the two hurled themselves at each other. Applejack remained on top of Rainbow, pinning the pegasus's wings with her hindlegs. She answered Rainbow's hoof to the side of her head with a hoof to the face. Rainbow's vision burst with colors at the blow before darkening. The back of her head struck the pavement and blood burst from her nose. Had Applejack always hit this hard or was it all the practice with those heavy tramplers?

Her nose bleeding, Rainbow clamped her teeth down on Applejack's right foreleg and tried to shake the earth pony off. They went at it for some time with Rainbow trying to shake Applejack off so she could gain some altitude and attacking from the bottom while Applejack desperately trying to stay on and raining blows from above.

"That's enough you two!"

Twilight's voice broke through the haze of violence around the two. A nimbus of purple magic surrounded and separated them.

"What in Equestria are you two doing?" Twilight asked angrily. Rainbow wondered if she was angry because she saw her friends fighting or if she was angry because they disturbed her studies. The others were there as well, rubbing their eyes to clear them of sleep and wondering what the commotion was about. Rarity looked on with concern and disapproval. Pinkie Pie was confused while Fluttershy was completely horrified.

Applejack ignored the others for a while. "You've gone into a very dark place, Rainbow," she said. She wiped the blood from a cut on her lip and nursed the bite mark on her foreleg. "Sooner or later, you're going to pay for it. All of us probably will."

"Look who's talking!" Rainbow said as she wiped the blood from her nose. "You're the one who jumped me. For all your talk about lessons we've learned in the Heartland, you're the one who resorted to violence first. You're adapting too, Applejack. Stop pretending."

With a look of satisfaction, Rainbow went inside, shrugging off any attempt by Fluttershy to see to her injuries. She heard Applejack strike the pavement hard with a hoof, but, right now, she wouldn't care if the earth pony jumped off the walls and into a wolven's gullet. She flung her coat on the floor and jumped into bed, pulling the blanket over her roughly and sleeping with her back turned on the rest of the room.


	36. Chasing Scarlet

**Upheaval: Breaking Point**

**Chapter 36: Chasing Scarlet**

Hammer Chain's smithy was alive with activity even though dawn had barely started. Having spent yesterday negotiating with the other Logistics officers, he returned to his work with a vengeance. In his enthusiasm, he dragged along a sleepy Rarity and Spike. With leather and cloth repairs not yet coming in, he had seized the opportunity to teach his apprentice how to forge her first knife. Thus the clanging that came from his smithy did not come from his practiced strikes, but from Rarity's first awkward attempt at metalworking.

"Put some more spirit into those hammer strikes, Rarity!" Hammer Chain said. "That's not how I showed you unless you're trying to make a comment on my forging."

"I'm sorry, Hammer Chain," Rarity answered with a barely-suppressed yawn. Though the lack of sleep left her sluggish and partly inattentive, she was surprised by the ease by which she maneuvered the heavy hammer. True to what Prince Terrato had said, all she needed was to stay in the Barrier Lands to eventually attune herself to its magic. She wasn't growing by leaps and bounds like Twilight was doing, but her telekinesis had returned to its normal strength. If only her sleep hadn't been interrupted by Applejack and Rainbow Dash's fighting, she would be impressing Hammer Chain by now. "'Spirited' is not quite how I would describe myself this morning if I may say so," she added.

"Half-dead, is what I say so," Hammer Chain remarked. "What's the matter? Did you spend the entire night drinking like that rainbow-maned friend of yours?"

"Certainly not!" Rarity answered. "I knew I had work in the morning and...wait, how did you know about Rainbow Dash?"

"Passed by Storm Brew's on my way home yesterday. Rainbow Dash, hm? She was the loudest pony in the barroom. Haven't seen that sort of bragging since Overcast." Hammer Chain paused, as if considering what he just said. When he continued, his expression had darkened. "Tell your friend to be cautious. Flight Dreadwing doesn't take too kindly to a pegasus who can't back her talk up."

Hammer Chain's remark surprised Rarity so much that she stopped hammering on the glowing piece of metal.

"Don't let that piece grow cold, Rarity!" Hammer Chain warned her.

"Oh, sorry!" Rarity replied. She focused on her work. The steady exertion along Hammer Chain's comments snapped her out of her torpor. She looked at him out of the corner of her eye as she continued.

"Do you know a lot about Flight Dreadwing?" Spike asked.

"Been working with them even before Tailwind took the captaincy," Hammer Chain replied. "A lot of our bolts go to Flight Dreadwing and most of their officers are wearing my work."

"What did you mean by what you said earlier?" Rarity asked. "Is Rainbow Dash in trouble?"

Hammer Chain stroked his beard with one hoof. "Depends on how seriously the rest of her flight is taking her. How good a flyer is she?"

Rarity fell into in deep thought. Before she could say anything, however, Spike answered the question. "She's the best flyer in all of Equestria!" he said with enthusiasm. He paused when he noticed Rarity's disapproving frown. "Well, best in the Heartland anyway," he amended.

"Sounds bad," Hammer Chain said. "She'd better impress then. Otherwise, it's Overcast all over again."

"Might I know who this Overcast is and what happened to him or her?" Rarity asked.

Hammer Chain raised an eyebrow when he looked at Rarity. "You don't know?" he asked. "I thought that you'd be familiar with the story since you're with Vanguard Clash and Scarlet Rabbit."

Rarity shook her head. "If it's going to be a concern for Rainbow Dash, I'd like to hear about it," she said.

"Me too," Spike added. He had been content with just leaning half-asleep against a crate of metal ingots until Hammer Chain's warning. Now, he was awake and alert.

Hammer Chain hesitated for about a minute while Rarity and Spike looked at him. He looked as if he had said something he shouldn't. Eventually, he shrugged and started talking. "Overcast used to be a Flight Dreadwing flyer several years back," he said. He joined up about the same time as Scarlet Rabbit. He was a pretty fast colt and he knew it. Talked up a storm whenever his flight gathered together and he did prove it by beating most of his flight mates in races."

Hammer Chain gestured for Rarity to stop hammering, then inspected the blade. After eyeing it critically, he let her continue. "You can't blame him entirely," he went on. "Reconnaissance flights encourage this sort of behavior: trophies, insignias, bragging sessions in barrooms…Overcast shot himself in the hoof, but his flight handed him the crossbow."

"So that's what happened?" Spike asked. "Flight Dreadwing gave Overcast a crossbow and he shot himself?"

"He meant that figuratively, Spike," Rarity chided him. She looked to Hammer Chain, silently asking her teacher to continue.

"Right, as I was saying…" Hammer Chain said . "Overcast had potential. He and Scarlet Rabbit were easily the best flyers in their flight at that time. Inseparable too. Couldn't count the number of times I passed by those two over at Storm Brew's. To nopony's surprise, Overcast eventually challenged Scarlet Rabbit to a race."

Rarity lifted the blade she was working on and dipped it into a bucket of oil to cool. After an approving nod from Hammer Chain, she went over to the grindstone to begin sharpening it. She noted the similarities between this Overcast and Rainbow Dash. She listened intently now, knowing that whatever happened before might be a clue to her friend's fate in the Legion. "How did the race go?" she asked.

"I wasn't there when they went at it. Flight Dreadwing held it outside the fortress. From what I heard, it was pretty close for the first half. By the second half, Scarlet Rabbit pulled away and won by a wide margin."

"I guess Overcast got taken down a peg and had to learn a lesson on humility," Spike remarked.

When Hammer Chain didn't respond, Rarity looked worriedly at him. "That's not what happened, is it?" she asked.

"I'm sure it was a humbling experience," Hammer Chain said grimly. "Official story is that Overcast was so shamed that he couldn't show his face in FangBreaker anymore so he asked for a transfer to the Western Barrier Land."

"So what really happened?" Spike asked. Rarity also looked on curiously. If "official" meant the same as "truth" Hammer Chain wouldn't have used the word.

"Everypony did find the transfer strange," Hammer Chain said quietly. "There was no sending off party or even a goodbye from Overcast. Nopony even saw him after the race. The popular story was that Scarlet Rabbit was so livid over his easy win that he threatened to kill Overcast and Flight Dreadwing, rather than lose their best flyer over murder charges, decided to transfer Overcast."

"But he won!" Rarity protested. "Why would a pony be so angry over winning?"

"Because he wanted to lose," Hammer Chain answered. "I saw his face whenever he won a race with his weights still on and whenever he was listening to Overcast. Scarlet Rabbit wanted to lose even without his weights and he really believed that Overcast was the one to do it. When Overcast failed…I doubt that it was a pretty sight."

Spike swallowed and hesitated before asking. "So…what happened to Overcast after that?"

"From what Flight Captain Tailwind told me, he tangled with a wrath dragon down at the Western Barrier Land and burned to a crisp. Guess the transfer was a bad idea after all."

Rarity was silent for a while as she continued to put a fine edge on her first blade. This was bad news indeed. She didn't know Scarlet Rabbit very well compared to Rainbow or Vanguard, but she couldn't have expected something like Hammer Chain's story from a pony who was constantly laid back and smiling. She thought about talking to Rainbow Dash about it, but then remembered what had happened to Applejack last night. Now, she was at a loss as to what to do.

"Let's see how it's turned out," Hammer Chain said as he went over to inspect Rarity's work. He held up the blade to his face with magic, then eyed it carefully. "Not bad for a first try. Let's continue with the hilting and-!" Before Hammer Chain could continue, the door to the smithy opened, revealing Flight Captain Tailwind. "What a coincidence," he muttered.

As Tailwind walked in, all three of them noticed the enormous crossbow strapped to her back. The weapon was about as tall as a pony when stood up and had a metal prod unlike Rainbow Dash's crossbow. "I need your help with this, Hammer Chain," she said abruptly. "The stock feels a bit flimsy."

"That's not exactly standard issue, Flight Captain," Hammer Chain remarked. "Off on a hunting trip?"

Tailwind nodded and smiled. " You could say that. I need it ready for tomorrow's sortie."

"A sortie?" Hammer Chain asked. "What for? Is the siege breaking already?"

"I wish," Tailwind muttered. "His highness just said that we've got the first wave of reinforcements from the southern cities approaching and we need to give them a path to the city. I've been tasked with assassinating the brachyurus leading the wolven forces by the southern gates."

"That sounds like a Special Operations pegasus' job," Hammer Chain said. He levitated the enormous weapon and inspected it. "Here's your problem. The stock's cracked. At least the prow's still useful. So, how'd you end up with the job?" he asked.

"Who knows what's going on with Special Operations?" Tailwind said. "I do know that Scarlet's laid out in the infirmary with a bolt wound on his flank. I guess none of the other squads could spare their pegasus for the job or I'm the best candidate after Scarlet."

"I'll get on it then," Hammer Chain said. "Wouldn't want you to take on a brachyurus with a defective weapon."

Tailwind nodded and left. Once she was gone, Hammer Chain let the weapon hover in front of Rarity and Spike to see.

"Wow," Spike said as he approached it. "That thing's huge!"

"This is a Quarrel Mark Two Windlass-operated Arbalest," Hammer Chain said proudly. He pointed to the engraved symbol of a hammer with its handle wrapped in chain on the prod. "One of mine at that."

"Its string is so tough!" Spike remarked as he tugged on the bowstring. "I can't even bend it!"

"Its dragongut," Hammer Chain said. "Best bowstring material in all of Equestria."

Rarity put the strips of leather down and stared at Hammer Chain. "Did you say "dragongut"?" she asked. Spike's eyes widened as he backed away from Hammer Chain.

"That's right."

"As in the guts of an actual dragon?" Spike asked aghast. "You kill dragons here too?"

"Not here," Hammer Chain said. His tone softened. "And only the ones we can't negotiate with. Unlike you, Spike. The lesser dragons like greed, gluttony and lust ones provide this material. We have to kill them anyway when they rampage through a settlement. Might as well make use of the bodies."

"But I haven't seen any other dragons around," Rarity said. "And the ponies here don't seem to recognize Spike."

"You won't find any this far north. You'll find plenty down the Western Barrier Land. Came from there myself." Hammer Chain shrugged. "The dragons don't mind us killing their lesser kin. Those mindless beasts are an embarrassment to them apparently."

Seeing Spike relax a little, Hammer Chain went over to Rarity. "Now, let me show you how to hilt that before I work on this thing, alright?" he said.

Rarity nodded and pushed aside her worries for now as she watched Hammer Chain. In the back of her mind, fear for her friend continued to nag at her.

* * *

><p>Forced to lie on his belly and with his flank bound up, Scarlet Rabbit stared at the infirmary's walls as if they were cage bars. He had been brought here after apparently shooting himself in the flank. If he wasn't so embarrassed by the incident, he would have protested having to spend the night in this place. All it took was a glare from Vanguard to get him to comply.<p>

"Redbrand could at least get me some brandy," Scarlet muttered. He flapped his wings impatiently. Just a while ago, he had heard from Vanguard that there was a sortie being planned for tomorrow and that he wasn't going to participate with his injury. It was all that he could do not to burst out of the infirmary and tell Commander Dreadstep that he was ready for action.

When one of the medics entered, Scarlet called out. "Hey! Tell Redbrand…uh…my flank's hurting really badly and I need a drink!"

Instead of hurrying away like the last medic who entered, this one approached him slowly. As he got a better look, he recognized the long, pink mane and the yellow coat. "Fluttershy!" he said with a grin. "Am I glad to see you! Say, do you have a drink on you?"

The lack of an immediate response didn't bother Scarlet. He was still smiling expectantly even when he noticed the serious expression on Fluttershy's face. She was but a foot away when he decided that she wasn't as glad as he was for this meeting and that there was no drink coming.

"I want you to stop," Fluttershy said in a low voice. There was no hesitation when she spoke. No stuttering and no backing away as well.

Scarlet raised an eyebrow. "Stop?" he asked. "Stop what? Shooting myself? I'd love to, but-!" his voice faltered before he could finish.

Fluttershy leaned on Scarlet's bed, her face just a few inches away from his face as she stared.

Scarlet froze as he stared directly into those green eyes. A chill ran up his spine. He tried to speak, but no words came out. The world seemed to blur until all he could see were those eyes.

"Whatever you're doing to Rainbow Dash, I want you to stop it!" Fluttershy said. Her normally soft voice had steel underneath this time.

A response did come from Scarlet after a moment of staring. A low chuckle escaped his lips and his hooves dug into his bed. So focused was Fluttershy on her stare that she didn't notice those until it was too late. In a burst of speed, he lunged from his bed, knocking her to the ground and pinning her in place with his hooves. His lips split into a crazed grin as he took quick and heavy breaths. "Found you…" he said, his voice shuddering in a mixture of terror and anticipation.

* * *

><p>Scarlet was already raising a hoof for a strike when Fluttershy realized that she was in danger. Before the blow could land, something struck Scarlet first. He went flying to the right before crashing into a nearby table of medical supplies. A hoof extended to help Fluttershy up. Still surprised and more than a little shaken, she took it and looked to see who had come. It was one of the senior medics. A couple of them had arrived along with Redbrand.<p>

Redbrand had turned around after kicking Scarlet and strode forward. He gestured for the other medics to come and help him. When Scarlet got up, he still had a crazed look on his face and he made another lunge towards Fluttershy. The bandages on his flank seeped blood. The medics caught him and put him back on his bed. "Tie him down!" Redbrand snarled. "Use chains if you have to!" He looked to Fluttershy. "Let's go," he growled at her before leaving the infirmary. With one last confused and frightened look at Scarlet Rabbit's trashing form, Fluttershy followed.

"Come back!" Scarlet shouted. He struggled viciously against the medics. "Hassyth!"

* * *

><p>"What were you doing in there?" Redbrand demanded once they had walked out of the infirmary. "Some kind of twisted chosen magic?"<p>

"I was…I was trying to talk to him…" Fluttershy said. That was what she had planned when she saw Scarlet being brought into the ward. What she had seen last night was too much. Applejack and Rainbow Dash had argued before. They had even fought before. That would not have been a surprise as they were both headstrong and stubborn ponies. But what had happened last night was no simple fight between friends. It was a strain on their friendship itself. For the first time in her life, she was afraid that the damage could be permanent. Rainbow was flying off somewhere she, or any of her friends, couldn't follow and all she knew was that Scarlet Rabbit had something to do with it.

It was only now that she noticed that she was shaking. Just as Scarlet had looked into her eyes, she had looked into his. He had recoiled when "the stare" suddenly came on, just as any other creature did. But, instead of staying recoiled, he had snapped loose like a metal spring wound up too tightly and went berserk.

Redbrand stopped and grabbed hold of Fluttershy, forcing her to look at one of his hooves. That was when she noticed that he was trembling too. "This is just from catching a glimpse of your eyes, filly," he said. "You better hope that I'm not doing any surgery today."

"I'm sorry."

"Forget apologies. Why were you trying to terrify him into talking anyway? Terrato grind me, they could use you in Special Operations with that stare. It'd do wonders for interrogations."

"Well…I didn't know it was going to happen," Fluttershy said meekly. "I just wanted him to stop what he was doing to my friend. But…it didn't work on him…"

"It worked alright," Redbrand muttered as he continued walking. "It just didn't have the sort of effect you're used to."

"What do you mean?"

"Most ponies run when faced with a truly intimidating sight. Either that or they try to placate whatever's scaring them. With groveling and obeying usually. Then you get reactions like Scarlet Rabbit's."

Fluttershy looked at Redbrand in confusion. What other reaction to fear was there? She just didn't understand.

"There's an old saying here in the Barrier Lands," Redbrand said. "In battle, you bring with you a smart pony, a brave pony, a greedy pony, and a stupid pony. The smart pony will lay out brilliant plans, the brave pony will carry them out despite the risk, the greedy pony is quick to see and seize opportunities, and stupid pony has no problem running headlong to his death." His eyes narrowed. "You see Scarlet Rabbit fight once and you know he's a stupid pony. Fast and deadly, but stupid."

Fluttershy swallowed, realizing how close she had been to getting hurt when she had thought to confront Scarlet Rabbit by herself. She was fortunate that the other medics had stepped in when they did. She was now convinced more than ever that Scarlet was bad for Rainbow Dash. "I've never seen such a pony before." she said.

"You'll get used to it," Redbrand replied. "Spend a few years in Medical and you'll see how the carnage of battle damages a pony. And it's not just their bodies too."

"Could it happen to me and my friends too?" Fluttershy asked quietly.

"What kind of question is that? You're ponies too. Those ridiculous pictures on your flanks won't protect you from this place. Isn't that why Celestia stuffed you all in the Heartland?"

Fluttershy's heart sank at the harsh answer. So it wasn't just Rainbow she had to worry about. Her other friends might start changing because of this place. Even she might start changing. She closed her eyes and quivered slightly at the thought. She opened her eyes in surprise, however, when she felt a hoof pat her on the shoulder. She looked towards Redbrand, who didn't match her gaze.

His expression at a loss, Redbrand cleared his throat before speaking. "Don't mope," he said, his gruffness sounded forced this time. He looked at her seriously. "Not everypony ends up partly deranged. Others are strong enough to stay themselves. You and your friends might be among them."

A slight smile creased Fluttershy's face as she looked up to Redbrand. He scowled and looked away in response. "You have friends out in the front lines right?" he asked. "Tomorrow will be a test for them. You better be ready too, Fluttershy."


	37. Prices Paid

**Upheaval: Breaking Point**

**Chapter 37: Prices Paid**

In all his years of working in the Legion's kitchens, Sharpfangs had learned enough to know what the Legion's plans were without having to be told. All he needed to do was observe the mess hall. From what he had seen this morning, the Legion was expecting a major battle later. The chatter was nervous all around, more so than usual. That meant that they were about to put their lives on the line soon. He can tell who the new recruits were without looking. They were always the loudest talkers whether it was boasting, asking questions, or just hinting at a need for support.

Most of the kitchen staff was already taking a break. After a busy morning preparing breakfast, they were finally going to have theirs. Sharpfangs stayed around for a while. Just in case something was needed.

"Don't those things hurt?" a high-pitched voice just a few feet to his side asked. Sharpfangs turned to find the kitchen division's latest recruit already moving in and staring at his muzzle. Ever since her arrival, Pinkie Pie had demonstrated an infectious, bubbly joy at everything she did and an absolute lack of perception for personal space.

"Don't what hurt?" Sharpfangs asked.

"Those pointy things coming out of your mouth," Pinkie replied. "They're fangs right? They look pretty sharp. I guess that's why you're called Sharpfangs. It must be pretty awful for you if you bite your tongue with them. I bite my tongue sometimes when I talk or eat really fast, but my teeth are all flat, not sharp and pointy like those."

Sharpfangs waited patiently for Pinkie Pie to have mercy and stop assaulting him with questions, all the while thinking that he had sheltered from calmer blizzards than this. Before she could even slow down, Pinkie Pie put both her front hooves against his back and started rubbing. He stepped back with a start. "What are you doing?" he asked.

"Grassmane was right! You coat does feel weird! It's so rough…like sandpaper!"

"Please stop," Sharpfangs said. He looked around for signs of Tailwind being nearby. His wife had caught a mare rubbing her hooves against his wiry, long-haired coat before. The resulting incident was still sometimes talked about among the Legion Police and it was always with a shudder. Fortunately, while Pinkie Pie had no concept of personal space, she did have some concept of discomfort. Still all smiles, she backed away a bit. "You're looking a bit happier this morning, Pinkie," he remarked. "Yesterday, you were under the weather."

Pinkie Pie paused for a moment as if remembering something. "I was pretty glum wasn't I?" she said. "I figured that it wasn't helping anypony anyway. I'd rather help my friends by cheering them up! Besides, everypony in the mess hall just seems so happy and excited!"

Sharpfangs snorted. "They do, don't they?" he remarked. "There's going to be a major battle later on and it's got them worked up."

"Do they enjoy fighting that much?" Pinkie asked.

"No. They're scared. They think that, if they laughed and talked loud enough, the fear would lessen."

"That's a great attitude to have!" Pinkie said with a grin. "Just laugh at whatever you're scared of!"

Sharpfangs looked at Pinkie a sadly. There was no mockery in her tone. She believed in what she said completely. The way she just said things however, made his heart ache a little. He would love to believe in things she said and he envied the life she must have lived within Celestia's barrier. What made him sad was the thought that the Barrier Lands would steal the belief infused within her words as surely as a blizzard would steal the warmth from anypony and reduce him to frozen husk.

"Are you ok, Sharpfangs?" Pinkie Pie asked. "Did you bite your tongue?"

"I'm fine," Sharpfangs replied. He sniffed, then cleared his mind of melancholy. Pinkie Pie decided to come to this place and he respected that, but she should face the consequences of doing so. "Why don't we join the others and-!" he stopped when he saw Pinkie Pie shiver violently, her eyes staring blankly ahead of her. "Pinkie! Are you alright?" he asked.

Pinkie Pie's eyes refocused and she hugged herself to stop from shivering. With her teeth still chattering, she tried to speak. "W-w-whoah! It's gotten really c-c-cold in here!" she said.

"You're in a kitchen with several cook fires still up!" Sharpfangs said. "What's wrong? Do you have a fever?"

Pinkie shivered for a few more moments, then stopped. She let out a loud exhale of relief before speaking again. "Wow! That was weird. I suddenly felt really cold inside. It's like…having your heart replaced with ice cubes for a minute! It's like a…a doozy! A really cold doozy!"

Sharpfangs raised an eyebrow. "No offense, but is this a chosen thing?" he asked. "I've heard of heartburn and I've experienced it a few times, but not heart-freeze."

"Oh, it's not the same for all of us 'chosen'," Pinkie replied. "I think it's my Pinkie Sense acting up. But I've never had that kind of reaction from my Pinkie Sense…"

"Pinkie Sense?" Sharpfangs asked. "What in the frozen valleys of Wolvengard is a Pinkie Sense?"

"It's just when I get twitches on my body that means that something is going to happen." Pinkie Pie's smile was back. "I don't think you'll find it in the frozen valleys of Wolvengard."

Seeing Pinkie still being earnest made it difficult for Sharpfangs to scoff at what she was saying. The idea of such a silly pony being able to predict the future would be a good joke for a nightly drinking session, but he wasn't going to laugh at Pinkie Pie's face. "So what does this really cold doozy say about the future?" he asked.

"I don't know," Pinkie replied. Her smile faded again. "It's the first time that's happened to me. I think…I think it's something really bad and it's going to happen during the battle you were talking about!"

"It's a battle," Sharpfangs said. "Bad things always happen in battles. Battles are bad things. Anything specific?"

"No," Pinkie Pie chewed on her foreleg. She looked at Sharpfangs and spoke in a pleading tone. "Can we stop the battle?" she asked. "Just for today!"

Sharpfangs looked from the kitchen and into the mess hall just as the ponies were already beginning to leave.

"There is no stopping this battle, Pinkie Pie," he said. "Let's just hope that your Pinkie Sense is wrong this time."

"But it's never wrong…" Pinkie said.

* * *

><p>The residents of the southern section of Bastion City watched from their homes as the Legion gathered its forces by the gates. Reactions among them were mixed. More than a few lauded the upcoming attack as brave and dynamic, a sign that the Legion may be on the defensive, but it was still a force to be reckoned with. Just as many quietly hoped that their troops would make it back alive. Nearly every family in Bastion City had a son or daughter in the Legion.<p>

Among those gathered closest to the gates was Applejack's platoon. She fidgeted slightly, adjusting the straps of her barding for the eighth time. Or was it the ninth?

"Nervous?" Twocolt asked. He was standing right next to her, his eyes betraying his own fears from underneath his champron.

"Maybe a little," Applejack answered. She was well aware of the difference between this upcoming fight and her previous one. It was one thing to stand on top of a wall and knock down every wolven that tried to climb up and another to charge out of the gates and into a pack of them. She was also aware that she was part of the group of ponies out in the front and was expected to be in the thick of the fighting. Reinforcements were arriving and it would be Infantry's job to clear a path for them to take into the city while while Reconnaissance provided air support and Magical blasted the enemy back. Behind her were several squads of unicorns from Magical while pegasi occupied the walls and gates. She looked up as several shadows crossed her vision. An entire flight of ponies was hovering just above them, out of sight of wolven bolters, and ready to take off once the attack commenced. She recognized the lead pegasus as Flight Captain Tailwind, Vanguard Clash's mother.

"There goes Flight Dreadwing," Twocolt remarked. "They always seem to be the ones heading the pegasi in any major operation. Your friend's really lucky to get picked to join them."

Applejack's gaze went from pegasus to pegasus until she found who she was looking for. Rainbow Dash hovered among her flight mates, her head raised proudly while a confident, eager smile curved her lips. She looked down and caught sight of Applejack looking at her. With a snort and a tilt of her head, Rainbow looked away. "Yeah," Applejack replied. "Real lucky."

Applejack sighed. A day had passed since their scuffle and the two of them still weren't talking to each other. She regretted losing her temper during that incident. All it did was make things worse between them. She had made up her mind. After this battle, she was going to pony it up and apologize even if it meant that Rainbow was going rub her nose in it. After that, she was going to try again.

It wasn't just Rainbow that Applejack was planning on talking to. She looked towards the unicorns behind her platoon and caught sight of Twilight Sparkle. Twilight wasn't going on about how they had to go out there and kill wolven like Rainbow was. That was because, for the past few days, she barely said anything to them. She was constantly reading and the slightest interruption irritated her. Spike once told stories about Twilight's nigh friendless days in Canterlot. Applejack wondered if this was something like those times or worse.

"Is that Captain Vanguard Clash?" Twocolt asked. "Looks like Special Operations is involved in this attack too."

Applejack followed Twocolt's gaze and saw Vanguard Clash standing by one side of the gate. In his distinct barding, Vanguard looked like statue of black metal. While legionnaires around him paced about and fidgeted, Vanguard was perfectly still. Applejack smiled wryly at the contrast he presented with Rainbow Dash. One was as colorful as her name suggested, easily among the loudest of her friends and, right now, filled her with apprehension. The other one was about as colorful as a tombstone and just as talkative. Staring at him, she felt some of her own nervousness recede. She reminded herself to talk to Vanguard later. He was born into all of this fighting and he had been doing it all his life. He would know how to deal with all the violence they were exposed to without falling apart.

For now however, Applejack concentrated on the task ahead. The attack was about to start soon.

* * *

><p>Rainbow Dash hovered impatiently as she waited for the signal to attack. Flight Dreadwing had already received their orders earlier. It was their job to lead the pegasus charge against the wolven, disrupt the enemy rear lines and provide covering fire for the ground troops. Their flight captain had been tasked with assassinating the brachyurus commander in charge of the southern wolven forces.<p>

Rainbow was practically swelling with pride. There was no doubt now that Flight Dreadwing was the best flight in the Legion and three recruits were traded away just so she could be included in it. During their raid, she had proven herself capable of fighting alongside them. For today's battle, she planned on showing them that she was the best thing to happen to the flight.

Finally, after what seemed like ages, the horn that sounded the attack blew and the gates swung open.

"That's the signal!" Tailwind barked. "Move out! For Equestria!"

Flight Dreadwing mirrored Tailwind's battle cry and took off. They winged their way past the southern walls followed by Flight Storm Dawn and Flight Frost Shear. Below them, several infantry platoons charged past the gate and into the waiting wolven forces.

Rainbow had little time to watch how the ground troops were doing. As soon as she flew past the walls, she and the rest of her flight was greeted by a barrage of bolts. There was no panicked flying from her this time. She stayed in formation and weaved to the side along with the rest of the flight as she pulled out her crossbow.

"Take down their bolters!" Tailwind shouted over the clamor of battle. She pulled out the enormous crossbow strapped to her back. It was already loaded before the battle, a slow difficult process, as Rainbow had observed. "Night Breeze! Spring Rain! Cover me while I move in!"

As two of Flight Dreadwing's officers joined Tailwind in flying deeper into enemy lines, Rainbow and the others fired their first barrage into the gathered wolven bolter squads. She picked one bolter who was just about to finish loading his weapon and pulled the firing lever. The bolt whizzed unerringly and struck the wolven's ribs, flinging it back.

'Good,' Rainbow thought. 'I'm still in perfect form!' She pulled out a bolt from the case attached to her side and loaded it on the fly. Her targets were just about finished reloading when she let another bolt loose. Another wolven bolter dropped to its side, its neck bleeding copiously. A second barrage of bolts flew from below and the entire flight flew up to avoid it. Rainbow heard a scream from just below her that was immediately cut off. She didn't look, however. She focused on one part of the battlefield. From the rear lines stalked forth an enormous wolven. It was smaller than King Fenrir, but was easily five times the size of a pony. Its white fur made it stand out among its gray-coated brethren. "Brachyurus…" she whispered.

* * *

><p>Naralrak chuckled to himself as the thunder-foots stormed out of their city and straight into the fangs of his wolven. For days, he had been waiting while they holed up in their wretched city. Now, he had a chance to release some pent up aggression. Just a few days ago, the western forces had been attacked by flying thunder-foots and their commander, Gelrok, embarrassed himself by letting several supply wagons burn. This was a chance for him to prove himself to King Fenrir as the most competent among the brachyurii. "Forward!" he roared. "Tear these thunder-foots apart!"<p>

"Commander, there are thunder-foots also coming from the south!" one wolven howled.

"Then kill them too!" Naralrak snarled. Scouts had already warned him earlier of the approaching thunder-foots from the south. Nakiskra, his former scouting leader, had suggested that he call upon the other commanders to reinforce his troops and prevent the thunder-foots from joining up. For such an impertinent suggestion, she later provided him with dinner that same night. Call for help? How humiliating would that be? This march into the thunder-foots' lands will be the greatest battle in Wolvengard's history and there was no way he was going to let himself be overshadowed by any wolven by asking for help.

Naralrak looked up to see a large flock of flying thunder-foots descend on his bolters, shooting them while they were still reloading. He also noticed a trio of them separate from the main flock and head towards him. Snarling at this brazen challenge, he advanced upon the three. One of them aimed a large bolter straight at him. "Think you can kill me, thunder-foot?" he roared. "Come then!" With one swift motion, he grabbed a nearby rock and hurled it at the flying thunder-foot while continuing to charge.

* * *

><p>"Foal of a nag!"<p>

An enormous rock, the size of her head, flew towards Tailwind before she could take the shot. With a flap of her wings, she changed directions, dodging it just in time. Night Breeze and Spring Rain flew ahead of her and fired their shots at her charging target. The brachyurus dodged Night Breeze's shot while Spring Rain's struck true, embedding a bolt just above the it's left shoulder. It ignored the hit and kept charging. "Flight Captain watch out!" Night Breeze warned.

A squad of wolven bolters had detached from their main firing line and were now taking aim at Tailwind. Cursing at the lost chance, she dodged and weaved as a barrage of bolts came her way. Both her escorts had now reloaded and refocused their aims toward the squad of bolters. They fired and a pair of wolven dropped to the snow-covered ground. It was now a race of reloading. The two of them would finish first while the wolven struggled with their heavy weapons. However, even if they killed two more, they would still have to avoid another barrage. She righted herself and took aim once again, only to find the brachyurus no longer where it was standing.

With a vicious roar, the brachyurus jumped from directly beneath her, its claws and jaws outstretched. Tailwind noticed in time to twist her body and avoid being ripped in half. She could feel the brachyurus's hot breath on her coat as his jaws snapped shut just a few inches from her body. To her bad luck, however, one of its claw swipes struck the arbalest she was carrying and knocked it to the ground.

"Damn!" Tailwind hissed. She grabbed hold of her regular crossbow, aimed and fired while the brachyurus was still falling from its jump. The bolt struck true, burying itself into her target's side. She didn't believe that it was going to slow down however. Its wiry, armor-like fur, its tough hide, and its thick muscles made sure that bolts from anything smaller than the arbalest would not penetrate too deeply. Before she could make a dash towards her fallen weapon, a barrage of bolts came flying towards her, forcing her to fly back and get some distance. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw what looked like a streak of colors heading towards her weapon.

* * *

><p>Though the battle raged on all around her, Rainbow looked at how her flight captain dealt with the enemy leader. The brachyurus was enormous. Even from afar she knew that they were big, but seeing one this close was impressive. Its size, its speed...everything about it was completely monstrous. She felt her heart skip when it jumped so high that it nearly bit Tailwind. No wonder all it took was to kill one of these monsters to earn an insignia.<p>

When Tailwind's arbalest fell to the ground, Rainbow saw her chance. Normal crossbows hurt the monster, but they weren't enough to kill it. It needed one clean shot with the arbalest to bring it down. She made a dash for the weapon, flying low and zigzagging through the swirling battle. Infantry was pushing hard, forcing the wolven lines to break up or be trampled into the blood-soaked snow. There were also ponies attacking from the opposite side and making their way into the city. The pegasus reinforcements spread out, firing on the scattered wolven to keep them confused and unable to regroup.

Casualties were also all over the place. A pegasus crashed just a few feet away from Rainbow, his body riddled with bolts. Two more followed him with the same injuries. She flew past several dead earth ponies and had to duck a swipe from one of the wolven who were savaging their remains.

Finally, Rainbow made it to where the arbalest had fallen. Fortunately enough, the weapon had not fired despite the impact. When she lifted it, it didn't look like it was damaged either. The thing was heavy, however, and slowed her down when she flew up.

"Rainbow Dash!" Tailwind shouted from above her. "Good work! Now, give it to me!" Another barrage of bolts forced her to fly up just to dodge.

Unfortunately for them, the brachyurus had also followed where the arbalest had fallen. Its fearsome red eyes locked onto Rainbow as it charged. In the few seconds it took for the monster to reach her, Rainbow had to make a snap decision. The balance threw her off, but she aimed the arbalest at the brachyurus and fired directly into its gaping jaws.

* * *

><p>The moment the horn sounded and the gates swung open, Applejack found herself carried away by the sudden rush of her fellow legionnaires. "For Equestria!" everypony shouted. Instinctively, she echoed the battle cry. There was little conscious thought involved as she went with the charge. The mere pent up energy of waiting for the attack to begin followed by the sudden burst of sound and movement sent every pony in Infantry running headlong towards the wolven waiting by the other side of the gates. It was like being carried away on a river's current.<p>

The foremost ponies crashed into the wolven with the loud bang of colliding metal and flesh. The wolven at the front of their lines were struck down while the charging ponies reared up to trample them. Blood spattered across barding as their tramplers crushed bones. The wolven responded by jumping on the lead ponies, latching on to their barding with powerful jaws and dragging them down. When one pony proved too strong to be taken down by a single wolven, two or three more easily followed through and a fallen pony was practically helpless as the wolven tore bits of his barding off from the straps, then clamped into the exposed flesh.

From behind Applejack came a barrage of magic. Arcs of lightning struck the wolven, charring their hides and leaving them twitching helplessly while the front line legionnaires trampled them to death. She ducked on instinct when a crack of thunder came from behind. An enormous bolt of lightning, much bigger than the previous ones, flashed just above her, striking one of the wolven and knocking it flying back to the enemy rear lines. Instead of a badly singed, twitching wolven, there was only a charred corpse. The spell then scattered into several smaller bolts that struck the wolven unfortunate enough to be nearby, singeing their bodies and leaving them howling in pain.

Applejack followed where the vicious bolt had come from and, not to her surprise, she found Twilight Sparkle. The unicorn's horn was still crackling with purple energy and it looked like she was already intoning another spell. The unicorn magi next to her were looking at her in surprise, but she ignored them. She didn't even seem to look at the carnage that resulted from her last one. 'Is that what you've been studying so much for, Twi?' Applejack thought.

She didn't have time to contemplate, however. A wolven had locked its eyes on her and charged, flecks of spit flying from its mouth as it jumped. Applejack was ready for it. She reared up and smashed a trampler directly against the wolven's nose, cracking its snout and knocking it on its back. Her heart pounding, she rushed forward and brought both front hooves down on her stunned enemy as hard as she could. She closed her eyes momentarily as she heard the crunch come from beneath her tramplers and felt the wolven's struggling cease. She heard another howl come from her right and found Twocolt trampling another wolven just a foot away.

"Stop doing that!" Twocolt yelled.

"Doing what?"

"Closing your eyes in the middle of a fight! Are you crazy?"

"Sorry," Applejack said. "I'm still not used to this." She remembered Twilight's expressionless face after that bolt of lightning. Perhaps she was the only one left who wasn't. She looked ahead, determined to put more into this battle.

That was when she caught sight of an enormous wolven moving from the enemy's rear lines. She had already been taught what this creature was from her training. It was a brachyurus, the biggest and nastiest of the wolven. She also saw several pegasi flying after the thing, firing bolts from their crossbows. She watched in awed horror as the massive creature jumped high into the air and swiped at one of them. Something fell from the pegasus as she dodged the blow. It looked like a crossbow, a really big one.

A streak of rainbow colors caught Applejack's attention as it sped towards where the weapon had fallen. 'Rainbow!' she thought. Her friend was now streaking past the enemy lines, likely to retrieve the crossbow. Several wolven tried to give chase, but quickly abandoned the idea once they saw how fast their target was going. Rainbow Dash had managed to get where the weapon had fallen and Applejack saw her hover with the enormous weapon while the brachyurus closed in on her.

'What are you doing?' Applejack thought desperately. 'Fly up! Get out of there!'

Rainbow Dash hesitated for a second, took aim, then fired.

At the very last moment, the brachyurus closed its jaws and ducked. Rainbow's shot tore through its left ear, causing blood to run down its face. Applejack's heart went cold as the monstrous wolven continued to charge. It raised a paw and brought it down on Rainbow who was still hovering in front of it.

The paw slammed into Rainbow Dash and knocked her viciously to the ground. Clumps of snow flew up from where she struck. Her weapon went flying towards another direction. "Rainbow!" Applejack cried out. Ignoring Twocolt's protests, she galloped ahead, dodging and weaving past several wolven.

* * *

><p>Rainbow Dash opened her eyes in a daze. What happened? One second she saw her shot miss and the next second she was flat on her back on the ground. Her head spinning, she tried to remember what had happened in the past few seconds. The brachyurus had struck her. She remembered the impact of the pads of its paw hitting her and counted herself lucky that it hadn't raked her with its claws. She tried to stand, but her legs were still wobbly and her vision was all over the place.<p>

A deep, cavernous growl brought her up short. A trickle of cold sweat dripped from her brow as she looked ahead. The brachyurus was right before her, licking its lips in anticipation. Rainbow tried to get to her hooves again, but her knees refused to do what she asked them to do. She flapped her wings desperately, but all she did was hover for a few seconds before falling back into the snow. The brachyurus's hot breath on her back, she closed her eyes and waited for the end.

Seconds passed without anything happening. Rainbow opened her eyes again to find an earth pony legionnaire standing in front of her. The yellow tail and the orange coat gave her a good idea of who it was. 'Applejack?' she thought. Her eyes widened as she realized that it was indeed Applejack in front of her, rearing up to hold back the jaws of the brachyurus.

"What are you waiting for?" Applejack grunted as she glanced back. "Fly!" She was shaking from the effort just to keep the brachyurus from shoving her aside. Rainbow got to her hooves and flapped her wings. This time she managed to hover properly.

Before Applejack could so much as breathe as sigh of relief over her friend's safety, the brachyurus shifted, shaking her loose and swiping at her with a claw.

Something hot and wet spattered across Rainbow's face as she saw the brachyurus's claw sweep Applejack aside. Her friend flew several feet to the side before tumbling into the snow and lying still. A bright red trail, along with bits of shredded barding, marked where she had tumbled. "Applejack?" Rainbow mumbled, her voice shaking. "Applejack!" She flew hurriedly towards her fallen friend.

The brachyurus had focused on Rainbow again. Before it could strike, a pair of bolts found their targets on its side. With a roar, it fell back and switched its attention to the pegasi circling it.

"Rainbow!" Tailwind shouted from above. "Get your friend out of there!"

Tears streaming down her face, Rainbow tried to get Applejack to her hooves, but the earth pony was limp in her forelegs. Blood soaked through her leather barding as she lifted Applejack to her back before taking off.

The brachyurus prepared to jump again when another pony slammed against its chest. This one was clad in heavy, black plates and had struck directly below its neck, knocking it flat on its back.

* * *

><p>With a swing of his neck, Vanguard Clash brought his blade against the brachyurus, slicing open a large wound on its side just as it was getting up. He jumped back in time as a claw swiped at him, keeping his head low and waiting for another opportunity to attack.<p>

No attack came, however. As the brachyurus prepared to charge again, a torrent of flame washed over its face. It fell back while howling in agony. Vanguard glanced back to see who had cast the spell only to find Twilight Sparkle running forward, her face twisted in a rage.

The brachyurus was not done despite its horrific injury. Half its face was charred and partly melted and another bolt had struck its side. Still, it roared and leaped towards Vanguard with its claws extended. Vanguard saw his opening. He matched the leap with a charge of his own and immediately ducked towards the monster's blind side. He galloped past the claws, then plunged his two-bladed sword deep between the brachyurus's ribs.

A weak howl escaped the brachyurus's jaws and it raised a paw to knock Vanguard back. Before it could do so, it found Tailwind hovering in front of its face, the arbalest now in her forelegs with another bolt loaded. Without a moment's hesitation, she pulled the firing lever. The bolt flew from her weapon and plunged right into the brachyurus's remaining eye. The impact knocked the monster over, leaving it dead on its back. Before Tailwind could take a closer look to see if the job was done, another wave of flame crashed into the brachyurus, lighting it on fire. She flew back and watched the flames consume her target with a sigh of frustration.

Vanguard had managed to pull his weapon out and jump back just before Twilight burned the dead brachyurus to a crisp. The white-hot flames died down as quickly as they had flared up, leaving behind a large, blackened corpse. For a moment, he was reminded of Pyre Valor's hoof-work. The flames were the same as was the ferocity of the spell. There was no time to dwell on it, however. The horn sounded from the walls again. The reinforcements had made it back and it was time to retreat to the safety of the city. As he was leaving, the wind blew something against his legs. He looked down to find a hat, Applejack's hat, being blown against him. He picked it up and started running back, signaling to Twilight to do the same. Already, he could see wolven coming from the eastern and western sides of the city running over.

* * *

><p>The sound of the horn signaling the attack's end was barely audible to Rainbow as she winged her way to the city. Bolts zipped past her dangerously and she was flying out of formation, but she didn't care. The only thought she had was getting Applejack to Medical, then doing whatever it took to make sure her friend lived.<p>

"My…"

Rainbow felt Applejack shift on top of her. A measure of relief escaped her as a sigh. "Applejack!" she exclaimed. "How are you?"

"My hat…" Applejack's voice was so weak that it was almost impossible to hear her. Her hooves moved slightly in some futile search. "Where's my…my hat…"

Rainbow Dash could only choke back a sob as she beat her wings harder. Bastion City seemed so far away…


	38. A Mother's Concern

**Upheaval: Breaking Point**

**Chapter 38: A Mother's Concern**

_"Applejack! Applejack!"_

_"Don't die, Applejack!"_

_"This is my fault…this is my fault!"_

The constant talking mixed with crying was starting to irk Applejack. What was going on? Can't a pony get some sleep without a bunch of other ponies bawling and screaming like they were in a funeral? She had half a mind to get up and give them a piece of her mind. The other half just wanted to turn over and go back to sleep. She was so tired for some reason. She was even more tired than that time she had to harvest all the apples in her farm by herself. She recognized Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash sobbing and wailing. Even Twilight was going at it.

_"Don't just stand there and cry, filly! Get me my sutures!"_

That was the grouchy doctor that Fluttershy served under. Redbrand was it? What was he doing here? Shouldn't he be in a medical ward helping injured ponies?  
><em><br>"Everypony, we need to stand aside and let the medics work."_

Applejack recognized Vanguard Clash. There was no mistaking that growl of a voice. It almost made her snicker hearing him use it so softly. It was clearly a voice made for shouting in a fight not singing lullabies. Still, for all its roughness, he did use it quite well when he tried to comfort her while they were out in the plains trying to get to Bastion City and when he was trying to assure her during that ambush he needed her in. For all the gravel in his voice, Vanguard still managed to comfort and assure. Right now, she was just glad that somepony was going to clear the place and give her some peace and quiet.

_"Stay with us, Applejack,"_ she heard Vanguard say quietly. _"Remember the ones you still have back home."_

The thought of her family still back at home jerked Applejack awake. The harvest should be over by now. She wondered how they were doing. She was having a hard time opening her eyes for some reason. The voices around her grew muffled and then faded out. 'Okay, now this is getting weird.' she thought. She was sure that she had opened her eyes but why was everything so dark?

When all the voices had completely faded away, the darkness finally seemed to recede. From being surrounded by blackness, Applejack was now surrounded by…gray. With a snort of frustration, she walked forward only to realize that she didn't remember standing up or if she was lying down in the first place. What was going on? She extended her forelegs just to make sure that they were there and doing what she wanted them to do.

'This must be a dream,' she thought. Strangely enough, she didn't remember going to bed. Why was she asleep? What was the last thing she was doing? She remembered a battle; wolven coming at her from all sides, her dodging claws and fangs while trying desperately to get somewhere. Then there was giant white wolven, its jaws looming in front of her. She remembered holding back those frightful jaws and then looking to her side in time to see a claw come at her. Beyond that moment, there was nothing. She looked around her carefully. The grayness all around her felt and looked like some sort of fog. She could barely see her own hoof in front of her face. Wherever she was, she was definitely lost.

"Tatatataratata…taratatataratata…"

Was that somepony singing? Finally having something focus on, Applejack followed the sound. She stumbled through the thick fog, unsure of what she was even walking on. It felt soft yet firm under her hooves but it certainly didn't feel like earth and her steps made no sounds.

Finally, she saw the faint figure of…something as she closed in on the singing. The silhouette looked like some sort of large, serpentine creature with oddly-mismatched arms and legs. The sight of the bizarreness of it seemed strangely familiar. The figure became more distinct as she approached so that she could see the mismatched horns, the goat-like head and the large buck tooth. She gasped as it dawned on her as to who it was she was looking at. "Discord!" she exclaimed. She stood low and at the ready, already trying to gauge her chances against the Spirit of Chaos.

Discord, on the other hoof, didn't even seem to notice her. He was walking around and arching his back as low as he could so that his head was almost parallel to his ankles. "How low can you go? How low can you go?" he was chanting to himself. As soon as he noticed Applejack, he straightened up with a wry smile. "You know, this would be so much more fun if there was actually a stick I can go under. You don't have a stick with you, do you?"

"What are you doing here?" Applejack asked suspiciously. "Did you do this? Where am I?"

"I haven't done anything," Discord replied irritably. "In case you haven't noticed, stone statues don't get to do anything except sit pretty in somepony's garden."

"What are you talking about? You're not a stone statue now!"

"My body is and-wait. You have no idea what's happened to you have you?"

"No," Applejack replied defensively. Something was wrong here. Discord seemed too…grounded. She recognized him but she couldn't feel any sort of threat coming from him.

"Well then," Discord went on brightly. "Welcome to Vestibulum! The space between worlds and the most boring place in all of…well, the most boring place ever. Honestly, if The King would just grant me authority over this place, I'd turn it into something wonderful for you almost-dead ponies. But no! He's fine with this eternity of grayness."

Applejack listened cautiously. The last thing she wanted was for the Spirit of Chaos to trick her into doing anything ever again. Still, something about what he was saying caught her attention. "Almost dead?" she asked. "What are you talking about? I'm fine!"

"You're not fine if you're here," Discord replied. "How did you end up here anyway? Fall down the stairs? Sheep rebellion? A really bad apple for lunch?"

"I was…I was fighting. There were wolven and-"

"Fighting? Wolven?" Discord laughed. "Oh my, a lot of changes have happened and I wasn't there to see it! I would love to see how Celestia's taking it if you know all about the wolven!"

"I don't want to hear any more of your nonsense, Discord! Now show me the way out of this place!"

"Oh, lighten up. We're both stuck here. At least you'll have somepony coming to fetch you soon. I'm stuck here until Celestia decides to either kill or free me." Discord let out a long sigh. "I guess I'll have to wait until Oceanus stops sulking before things get interesting again."

"Now see here, I've had just about-!"

Applejack stopped short when she felt warm breeze blow through her. The sensation was wonderfully pleasant, a summer breeze that reminded her of working back in her farm. The constantly cold and biting winds of the Northern Barrier Land had almost made her forget all about this feeling. A burst of dazzling white light emanated from behind her, illuminating Discord, who squinted and grunted, and causing the gray mist to recede.

"Well aren't you a special little snowflake," Discord muttered.

"What are you talking about?" Applejack asked as she turned to face the source of both the light and the breeze.

"I'm flattered. The Queen's coming to fetch you and you're still talking to me."

The light intensified, leaving Applejack speechless before she could reply to Discord. Something was coming towards them. The light's warmth seeped into her body, flooding her with peaceful feelings and a sense of contented joy and then leaving her on her knees. She squinted to try and get a better view but the light was too intense for her to make anything but a faint outline at the center of the brilliance.

Out of the radiance, a voice came forth. Applejack expected a thunderous boom or a powerful rumbling like Prince Terrato's. Instead the words came out soft and melodious. "Leave us, Lexarius. Our meeting does not require your presence," the voice said.

"It's Discord!" Discord shouted in indignation. "Discord! I haven't been that boring lout, Lexarius, in centuries!"

Applejack cringed not because she was frightened but because, compared to the voice from the light, Discord's railing sounded especially unpleasant. It reminded her of rusted metal plates grinding against each other. It seemed a crime to sound like that after that voice.

The light flared briefly and it was Discord's turn to cringe. "Okay, okay," he said in a subdued tone. "You don't need to pull the smiting out. I'm going."

With that, the Spirit of Chaos himself slithered away into the grayness like a beaten colt, leaving Applejack alone with the radiant presence.

"Forgive our former steward," the voice said. "He hasn't been himself for so long."

Applejack bowed her head as she remained kneeling. Discord called this…being "The Queen". Queen of what, she wasn't sure but she instinctively knew that she should show respect. "Um…beg your pardon, your majesty, but what is going on?"

"Despite his madness, Lexarius has answered your questions honestly, young one. You are in Vestibulum, where the souls of mortal ponies are drawn to before they are accepted into the Eternal Herd."

Applejack remembered the last thing that happened to her before she found herself here. The brachyurus had struck her. A fearful realization came upon her. Was she dead? Was everything over?

"Now, let us greet you properly first, Applejack, bearer of the Element of Honesty. Not since the last stand of Apple Slice has a pony of your clan fallen so valiantly in battle. Rest assured that a place has been set aside for you in the blessed fields of Elys where your ancestors await you eagerly."

Applejack felt her spirit sink a bit. So that was it. She was dead. She was a little flattered by what the Queen said and the thought of meeting the Apples of long ago was certainly exciting. But she wished that she could have done more to help her friends.

"But they must wait a little longer," the voice continued, as if sensing her incoming depression. "For our children's sake, we must interfere. How fitting that it is the Bearer of Honesty who has come before us when we need a pony to speak in our stead. Will you bear our message, honest Applejack?"

"Of-Of course, your majesty!" Applejack said, hoping that she addressed this being right.

"Thank you. We are aware of the growing turmoil in the world of mortals and the rifts between our children; Celestia, Terrato and Luna."

Applejack listened intently. So she as talking to mother of Equestria's rulers…no wonder Discord referred to this being as "The Queen".

"'_Loquor propter reginam_'. Speak these words to our son, Terrato, and he will believe that you speak in our stead. Tell him that if he continues to refuse to act, his dearest sister will fall from grace completely. Tell him that home is not lost to him as he may believe. Lastly, remind him of his parent's love and his mother's words of prophecy: Nine rebellions shall the King endure before he is roused to anger. Firstborn Oceanus began the cycle and it will be he who will end it. The seventh is coming soon. Let our warning allow him to prepare."

Applejack nodded as she committed the words to memory. That was a lot of things to take in. She barely understood what The Queen was talking about but she hoped that Prince Terrato would make more sense out of them. "I'll tell him, your majesty," she said determinedly. "I promise."

"Thank you. But we will not send you back without gifts for your efforts, truth bearer."

The light swirled around Applejack as if it were liquid gold. She felt a wave of heat not from the light but coming from within her. It started off as what felt like a spark of warmth in her chest, steadily growing into a fiercely burning flame.

"Heed our words, Applejack. Jewelry is but symbolism. Remember _Harmonia Intus_; Harmony comes from within. No shield protects as truth does. You who bear the Element of Honesty, let the truth come before you and the lies will scatter like dust."

"I-I don't understand," Applejack said. The heat inside her suddenly felt painful as she wavered.

"Not yet. You are still gripped with doubts and lies. Stand strong, Applejack, and see Honesty as a purifying flame. Those purged by it will see clearly. Now, go back to your friends. They are in desperate need of you."

The light stopped swirling and lessened in intensity as Applejack felt the presence withdraw. Suddenly, she noticed that she wasn't alone with The Queen anymore.

"Hello?" somepony called out."Is anypony there?" From the voice it sounded like a stallion. The voice was strangely familiar too. As she listened, a pony emerged from the mist, stumbling as he did so. It was a white unicorn stallion.

Applejack recognized the wavy, blue hair, the mustache and the monocle. "I remember you! You're that rich feller Rarity met in Canterlot! What was it again? Something to do with pants…"

The unicorn's eyes widened in recognition. "And I recognize you! You're one of Rarity's rustic friends…that gardening pony. Finally, a familiar sight! Could you…could you tell me where I am?"

"Uh…maybe you could tell me how you ended up here first," Applejack said. She remembered Discord's words and things were not looking good for this stallion if he was here.

"I remember walking home from a party when I ran into a group of these strange-looking ponies wearing barding of some sort. They looked like they were heading for the palace urgently. One of them pointed some kind of device at me and then, when I woke up, I was here."

Before Applejack could respond, The Queen's voice came from a distance. She could still see a glimmer of light coming from afar despite the mist. "Come with me, Fancypants. Empyrea will always have a place for a noble unicorn soul."

Though he was startled a bit, Fancypants brightened at the call. "Excuse me then, miss," he said. "I'll be going now." With that, he galloped off and disappeared into the grayness.

Applejack tried to walk on as well, thinking that she had to go somewhere to get out of this place when a sudden pain to her side brought her up short. "What in tarnation?" She looked to her side. There didn't seem to be anything wrong with it but it was starting to hurt. Her vision was also dimming and the grayness was darkening into black.

* * *

><p>Applejack opened her eyes and found herself lying on a bed in a large room. The entire place was quiet save for the gentle snoozing of several ponies fast asleep. She felt around her bed and reveled in the…solidness of everything. She was back among the living at last. For a moment, she wondered if she had just dreamed the entire thing. No. She was sure it had happened. Everything had been too vivid and too…important to be a dream.<p>

"You're awake at last," somepony said from the side of her bed. She turned around to find Vanguard Clash sitting next to her bed. He had spoken gently, his growl of a voice almost breaking from doing so. Fluttershy was resting next to him with her head against his shoulder. At the foot of her bed, Applejack found Rainbow Dash with her face buried in the sheets. The spot near her eyes still felt damp. As Applejack looked around, she saw that nearly all of her friends were there. Rarity was sitting by the door asleep while Twilight had fallen on the floor nearby with Spike resting on her back. She also noticed that she was sharing this place with other injured ponies.

"How come you're still up?" Applejack asked Vanguard softly. She tried to rise only to be brought up short by a sharp pain to her side. Vanguard put a hoof against her shoulder gently to keep her down.

"I'm just good at pacing myself," Vanguard replied. "Stay down and rest. We almost lost you, you know."

"Lost me?"

Vanguard paused in recollection. "There was a moment when you lay so still that I could have sworn you were no longer breathing and your heart had stopped." His voice trembled slightly. "There's fear when you know that something might happen and it scares you. Then there's that moment when you seem so certain that it has."

"Sorry," Applejack said. "I made all of you worry." To her surprise, she saw Vanguard chuckle. It was the first time she had seen him do more than smile. "What's so darn funny?" she asked, unable to keep herself from smiling as well.

"Do you remember that night I first brought you and your friends to the legion?" Vanguard asked. "Rainbow Dash was talking about how 'cool' it was when Twilight was injured trying to protect all of you and you scolded her about trying it out for herself."

"I remember that night! I was-oh…" Applejack felt blood rush to her face in embarrassment. "Heh…heh…I did say that, didn't I?"

Vanguard let himself smile. "I'm just glad you're back with us, Applejack."

_"Stay with us, Applejack. Remember the ones you still have back home."_

Applejack matched the smile with one of her own. "Glad to be back," she said. "Not looking forward to being confined to a bed though." She put a hoof against the one Vanguard still had on her shoulder to gently nudge it away. Embarrassed by his lack of consideration, he backed away and settled onto his seat. Then, with a start, he suddenly reached for something. With a slight flourish, he placed Applejack's hat back on her head.

"You almost lost this," Vanguard said.

"My hat! No wonder I was feeling extra chilly! Thanks, Vanguard."

The two of them heard somepony moan groggily and looked to where it came from. Twilight stood up slowly, letting Spike slide to the floor as she did so. As she focused on Applejack and Vanguard, the two of them noticed a peculiar look cross her face for less than a second before she brightened. "Applejack!" she exclaimed. She put a hoof to her mouth and looked around before lowering her voice. "Thank goodness you're awake. We were so worried!"

"Sorry," Applejack said.

"No," Twilight answered softly. "I'm the one who should apologize. I had a spell on that brachyurus before you even got there but the words slipped in my mind at the last moment. I'm so sorry."

"Nonsense, sugar cube," Applejack said with a grin. "Don't you use this to punish yourself even more. I know how hard you work on your magic."

Twilight sniffed and held back her tears as she smiled.

With a final nod at Applejack to signal that he was going, Vanguard stood up and looked ready to leave. She reached out at the last moment, however. She remembered what she was thinking about before the battle. Almost dying was not going to solve all the problems she saw developing among her friends. The Queen's words convinced her that The Elements of Harmony would be needed soon but she and her friends were far from being harmonious right now. She needed help and the black-armored stallion was her best hope. At the very least, there was something she needed him to do for now.

"Need something?" Vanguard asked.

"I need to talk to the prince. Can you do something to let me meet him?"

Vanguard paused for a while as he mulled it over. "I'll see what I can do," he answered. "Any reason why?"

"I got a message from his ma. A real important one."


	39. Healing

**Upheaval: Breaking Point**

**Chapter 39: Healing**

A day had passed since the first wave of reinforcements brought measure of relief to Bastion City's defenders. With more ponies lining the walls and patrolling the streets, the city felt a little safer and the siege seemed a little less bleak. The reinforcements also brought supplies with them: food, materials and ammunition…even medical supplies and, much to the delight of some legionnaires, liquor.

As far as Chief Medical Officer Redbrand was concerned, it was only the last two that mattered. He was starting to feel a pinch on his brandy supply and dreaded having to decide whether he should stop taking nips from his flask so much or operate on ponies without trying to numb the pain. As if to highlight the situation, he had just refilled his flask earlier. There were a lot of injured in the last battle and, in the last several hours, he waded through a couple of amputations, a sweater's worth of stitching and around a crate's worth of brandy.

Then there was Fluttershy's friend, Applejack. The "highlight" of last night's emergencies. He took a pull from his flask and remembered just how that matter settled.

_"We've got a bad one incoming!" one of the senior medics called out._

_Redbrand braced himself. Whenever his subordinates called that out, it meant that he was going to have to deal with the next patient personally. "Fluttershy!" he called out. He looked around to see where the yellow pegasus was. She had certainly become a reliable medic in such a short period of time. Perhaps it was about time he exposed her to more serious cases. He found her already going to see to the next patient when she froze in shock. "What's the matter?" he asked. He looked towards what she saw and understood._

_The door to the ward had just burst open. Standing by the door frame was one of Fluttershy's chosen friends. Redbrand could tell from the freakishly colored mane. It wasn't the bizarre rainbow mane that caught his attention, however, but the blood that stained her coat and mane. On the pegasus's back was a badly injured earth pony. He didn't recognize this one but, from Fluttershy's reaction, it was another one of her friends._

_"Applejack!" Fluttershy cried out. "Applejack!" She rushed over to the fallen earth pony's side. Redbrand signaled for the other medics to place Applejack on the nearest bed and begin removing what remained of her barding._

_"Don't just stand there and cry, filly!" he roared. "Get me my sutures!"_

_Even as he sent Fluttershy off, another pony entered the ward. This time, it was Fluttershy's purple unicorn friend, the one that a lot of legionnaires were talking about. She went to Applejack's side right away, her eyes already welling up. Behind her, Vanguard Clash had also entered the ward. He, at least, had enough sense not to barge into the place._

_"Please stand back," one of the senior medics said. None of them seemed to hear him. Another medic had completely removed the barding from Applejack and was stemming the bleeding as best he could. Another one washed out the wounds._

_The sky blue pegasus was even worse for Redbrand. She had grasped the side of the bed and had buried her face into the covers. "This is my fault…this is my fault!" she wailed._

_Redbrand strode forward, lifted the pegasus by the mane and smashed a hoof into her face. She tumbled towards the door and landed on her belly. "She's not dead yet, you idiot!" he snarled._

_The purple unicorn, Twilight Sparkle, as Redbrand finally remembered, gasped and looked at him. Fluttershy, who had just arrived with his sutures was also shocked, but had enough sense to keep moving. He ignored the stares and shifted his attention to Vanguard. "Get these bothersome fillies out of my ward, Captain Vanguard Clash," he said._

_With a nod, Vanguard motioned towards Twilight and the pegasus. "Everypony, we need to stand aside and let the medics work," he told them. Twilight Sparkle looked a little angry at Redbrand, but she understood the situation and left. She had to help drag away the pegasus, who was crying out in rage and frustration in between her sobs. Vanguard stood over the bed for a few moments and said something. Redbrand didn't bother listening. Afterwards, he left as well._

_With the distractions gone, Redbrand was finally able to focus on his work. Applejack had taken an enormous claw to the side, likely from brachyurus judging from the sheer size of the wounds. The tears were deep and jagged. If he didn't close them up right away, this pony was going to die in a few more minutes. He took the sutures and went to work swiftly. Just a foot away, he could feel the growing mass of anxiety that was his assistant. With a snort, he concentrated on his work as best as he could. It was going to take a lot to save this mare even without feeling as if somepony was going to rip his head off if he failed._

Redbrand looked over the ward from his corner of the room and focused on Applejack. She almost didn't make it. The trauma had been so severe and the blood loss so great that he had felt her life just slipping away from his hooves. But Applejack made it through. He didn't know how. Perhaps it was due to earth pony sturdiness, as he had seen time and again, or it could be some kind of aspect of chosen anatomy. It could even be just sheer luck or something as utterly preposterous as divine intervention. Regardless of the reason, he was just relieved that Fluttershy didn't have to go through the loss of a dear friend for now. He shoved the thought aside gruffly. That was ridiculously naïve. Sooner or later it was going to happen to her so why try to coddle her now?

"I'll see you later, Applejack!" Legionnaire Twocolt said. He passed by Redbrand on the way out, dipping his head slightly out of respect for a higher ranking soldier. It was almost noon and Twocolt was only the latest of the visitors who had come to see Applejack.

Before Twocolt, a pink, earth pony chosen had come. She had rushed into ward so quickly that Redbrand thought that it was another emergency. She was also so loud and distraught about finding out what happened to her friend so late and how her "Pinkie Sense" had warned her about this that he was about to throw her out of the ward. Fortunately for her, Fluttershy and Applejack managed to calm her down.

Pinkie Pie, as her name was, had brought a cake with her as a get well present. At least Redbrand assumed that there was a cake under that cataclysm of frosting and candy. He had thought of going over to the kitchens just to ask how they procured all the ingredients for it. A slice of that cake had somehow found its way to his desk, "as thanks for your part in Applejack's recovery" Pinkie Pie explained. He was polite enough to accept, but he wasn't going to touch the thing until he had some stomach medication on hoof.

It was before Pinkie Pie had arrived that Redbrand assumed was the most emotional reaction to the incident had occurred. He set aside those thoughts however. With his break done, it was time for work.

* * *

><p>"See you later, Twocolt!" Applejack said as she waved at the leaving stallion. Once he was gone, she let out a sigh and fell back on her bed. It had only been hours since she woke up and she was already restless. While on her back, she raised her legs in the air and slowly stretched them to her sides.<p>

"Applejack!"

The swiftness of Fluttershy's disapproving call nearly made Applejack jump. She could have sworn that Fluttershy was still by the other end of the room.

"Just how many times do I have to warn you about exerting yourself?" Fluttershy asked. She was next to Applejack in an instant.

"I was just stretching my legs!" Applejack protested. "Isn't a little exercise a good thing for an injured pony?"

"If you pull those stitches, I'm going to nail you to that bed!"

Applejack could only raise an eyebrow at the ineffectual threat. "Looks like that grouchy doctor's been teaching you more than just medical stuff," she remarked. "It'll work better if you made an angry face to go along with it and if your voice didn't sound like you were singing me a lullaby."

Fluttershy glanced nervously at the stallion sitting by his desk at the far end of the ward. "Please don't tell him I tried that," she whispered.

With a chuckle, Applejack nodded. "So why are you over here again?" she asked. "Don't you have other patients to care for?"

"It's time to change your dressings," Fluttershy replied. "We don't want your wounds to become infected now."

"Alright, alright." Applejack lay on her side to let Fluttershy take the bandages off. She shuddered when she saw the bloodstained strips. The white cloth had turned almost completely brown.

"Pretty bad, huh? Fluttershy remarked when she saw what Applejack was looking at. She paused once she had removed the bandages. For a moment, she looked in disbelief at the wounds. She shook her head and went back to changing the bandages.

"I sure did make a real mess of things here," Applejack said.

"You should have seen Rainbow when she flew you in here. She was so covered in blood that I was scared that she was horribly injured too."

The mention of Rainbow Dash perked Applejack's ears up. "So have you seen Rainbow after she left here?" she asked.

"Applejack, please settle down," Fluttershy implored. "And I haven't seen her after she left. It looks like she went straight to her flight. I hope she got herself cleaned up first."

Applejack frowned at that, remembering the way Rainbow Dash left the medical ward.

_"Oh I am so relieved to see you alive, Applejack!"_

_Rarity almost ran over to Applejack's bed to give her a hug only to be restrained by Twilight. Inside the medical ward, joyous tears and smiles were all around. Applejack found herself embarrassed by all the attention, but she was glad too. These were the ponies she almost left behind. Even imagining them so distraught as to react like this upon her waking up left her with an ache in her chest._

_The last one to wake was Rainbow Dash. All of them watched her slowly stir from her sleep and smiled when she opened her eyes._

_"Howdy, pardner," Applejack said with a grin once Rainbow had fully woken up._

_"Applejack?" Rainbow's voice was husky and her eyes still red and bleary. Applejack also noticed that one of Rainbow's eyes was swollen as if it had been struck hard."Applejack!"_

_Still grinning, Applejack extended a hoof towards Rainbow Dash…who shrank from it as if Applejack was handing her a poisonous snake. "What's wrong?" she asked._

_"I…" Rainbow Dash quivered and looked away. She tried to look at Applejack but some invisible force seemed to have grabbed her by the head and was turning it away each time she tried. "I'm sorry…I'm so sorry!"_

_Applejack's grin dissolved into a look of concern. "Hey. Hey now, it's alright," she tried to say soothingly._

_Rainbow Dash didn't seem to hear a word. Fresh tears poured from her eyes and she started to shake hard. All of them were looking at her in concern now. When Applejack tried to reach in with her hoof, Rainbow bolted, zooming out of the ward so fast that blankets and bandages went flying in her wake. In the background, they heard Doctor Redbrand swearing violently._

"I hope she's okay," Applejack muttered. "And I hope that she doesn't think this is all her fault."

"I'm worried about her too," Fluttershy said. "She was so broken up about what happened to you yesterday. "Not that I…well…"

Applejack looked at Fluttershy carefully. "Well what?" she asked. Fluttershy fell silent for a few moments before putting a hoof on her shoulder.

"Applejack, promise me that this won't happen again! I don't want to see you or any of our friends in here like this again!"

Applejack stared at her friend, only now noticing that she had underestimated just how badly all of this had affected Fluttershy. Rainbow Dash's reaction appeared the most severe, but that didn't mean that the rest of her friends hadn't gone through a lot.

"Promise me!"

"Sugarcube, I can't," Applejack answered softly. "Not without lying."

Fluttershy drew back, sniffed, and wiped her eyes. "I hate this," she said with a quivering tone. "I hate all this fighting you have to do."

"You're fighting too. You fought and won last night right?"

Fluttershy choked back a sob. "Just…just be careful. You can promise that much right?"

"I will."

The both of them looked up when they heard the door to the ward open. Twilight Sparkle entered and went over to them. "How are you feeling, Applejack?" she asked.

"Doing much better!" Applejack replied with enthusiasm. A little of it was forced. She didn't want her friends to worry about her anymore. She glanced slyly over to Fluttershy. "As long as Fluttershy here doesn't nail me to the bed!"

Twilight looked curiously at Fluttershy, who coughed nervously in response.

"I'd…um…I'd better go check on the other patients," Fluttershy said.

With Fluttershy gone, Twilight focused her attention on Applejack. "I wanted to talk to you some more about The Queen," she said.

"I already told you everything, Twi," Applejack answered. "Besides, shouldn't you be training or something?"

"Mage Captain Owlsight told me to take a break," Twilight said with a frown. "Ordered me to actually. And I was only on my second spar. Tell me again about what the Queen told you."

With a sigh, Applejack narrated her encounter with the Queen again while Twilight listened intently, a small notepad floating in front of her.

"Nine rebellions…and we're already expecting the seventh," Twilight wondered aloud. "I wonder what the first six were. Then there's this Oceanus the firstborn and Discord being called Lexarius." She tried to suppress an excited smile and failed. "So much research!"

"Well, I'm glad you're happy about it," Applejack said with a touch of concern. Giving Twilight Sparkle another reason to bury herself in books was not exactly something she was excited about.

"And those words that the Queen told you," Twilight said. "Clearly a different tongue used by royalty! I wonder if Princess Celestia and her siblings speak it often among themselves. Are you sure you got the pronunciation right?"

"No, I'm not," Applejack said flatly. "I can barely say those slippery words. I just hope Prince Terrato will listen to me even if I can't say them right!"

"Maybe there are some books in this city's libraries that might help. Want me to...?"

Applejack didn't catch the tail end of that offer. The door had opened again and the sight of the stallion who walked in lifted her mood just a bit more. With a nod of a greeting towards Redbrand, Vanguard Clash walked past the beds and towards her, returning her smile with one of his own. "Feeling better?" he asked.

"Much better!" Applejack replied. She noticed the lack of a need to force her enthusiasm this time. "How'd it go?"

"'He has a message from the Queen' isn't exactly an easy to work with pitch to get an audience with the prince, Applejack." Vanguard replied. "It's done though. As soon as you can walk straight, I'll escort you to talk to Prince Terrato. Your barding's also being repaired. It should be finished once you've recovered enough so just pick it up at Hammer Chain's once you're able to."

"Thank you kindly, Vanguard."

Vanguard waved a hoof dismissively. "It's nothing. If this message is important, it's our duty to make sure it does reach his highness."

"Can I come along?" Twilight asked. "I'd like to see how he'll react to all of this."

"We'll see," Vanguard replied. "You're not exactly his favorite pony, Twilight."

"He's still mad at me for what I did to the princess," Twilight said glumly. A look of determination crossed her face. "But I still want to be there. Who knows what he'll decide to do when he hears that the Queen wants him to act?"

"If he decides to bring down the barrier even if it means fighting Princess Celestia, what would you do?" Vanguard asked.

"He won't do that," Twilight replied. "Prince Terrato is violent and has a cruel sense of humor, but he would never attack Princess Celestia. That's why he's still mad at me!"

"Isn't that why the Queen has decided to interfere?"

Twilight didn't reply to that. Sensing the mood darken, Applejack decided to intervene. "Hey now, why don't we leave that to when I can walk straight?" she suggested. Vanguard and Twilight glanced at each other and nodded, letting her steer the conversation to lighter things.

* * *

><p>Redbrand watched from his desk as Applejack dealt with even more visitors. "Terrato grind me, that filly has a ridiculous amount of worry-wart friends!" he groused. He took a small bite of the cake on his desk and grimaced. As he had feared, the sweetness was far too much for his liking.<p>

"Um…Doctor Redbrand?"

He looked up to see Fluttershy standing in front of his desk. "What is it?" he asked. "Want some more cake? You can take this."

"Um…no. Actually, I wanted to apologize."

"Apologize? For what?"

"When they carried Applejack here. I was so worried that you were just going to give up without trying. Instead, you worked so hard to keep her alive."

Redbrand's eyes narrowed. "I'm not surprised about how little credit you give me, Flutteshy," he said. "I've been doing this for thirty years and I know when a pony's life can be saved or not. Stick around and you might learn something!"

"I'm sorry."

Redbrand made sure that he wasn't looking at Fluttershy when she said that. He had enough of feeling bad for things he shouldn't be. "Stop apologizing already," he groused. He opened his flask and was about to take another pull to take the edge off the sweetness when a hoof stopped him. He quickly glared at Fluttershy, but she didn't back away. "You should know better than get between a stallion and his drink," he warned.

"Please stop," Fluttershy replied. Redbrand didn't say anything. His silence was more than enough to demand an answer. "I'm not as experienced as you, but I can tell that whatever pain you're trying to numb with that drink isn't going away."

Redbrand looked at Fluttershy, then put his flask's stopper back. "I've been at this for ten years," he said. "What makes you think you can stop me?"

Fluttershy answered with a smile that took Redbrand aback. "I'll try my best," she said.

* * *

><p>Flight Captain Tailwind sorted through the papers on her desk as reports came in on her flight's condition. The last battle had not been a good one for her flight. She was down three pegasi and she was disappointed over her own performance. For the very first time, she started considering that she might be getting old. What grated on her was that she needed her son's help to finish off a brachyurus, something that she had never needed before. She looked up as the door to her office opened and frowned. Here was another issue to be settled.<p>

"You sent for me, Flight Captain?" Rainbow Dash asked. Tailwind looked her over. The young mare looked haggard despite her desperate attempts to hide it.

"That's quite a shiner," Tailwind remarked as she looked at Rainbow's eye. "How'd you get it?"

"The angry doctor over at Medical gave it to me, ma'am," Rainbow answered.

"Foal of a nag, Redbrand," Tailwind muttered to herself. "Can't you even make exemptions for ponies who almost lose their friends?" To Rainbow, she spoke grimly. It wasn't that she was going to be any different. "That and your lateness aside, I think you know why I called you here."

Rainbow Dash remained silent. Tailwind noticed that the luster in her eyes was gone. She barely seemed to be in the room at all.

"You disobeyed my orders, Rainbow Dash. I told you before that there's being brave and being reckless. You're lucky, and let me stress the word 'lucky', that your friend managed to make it out alive. That being said, it should come as no surprise that some discipline is in order. Report to the whipping post once you leave this office. A few stripes should remind you that, while we encourage initiative, it's not at the cost of discipline."

Rainbow Dash looked at Tailwind dully. The older pegasus saw the signs. The whipping didn't frighten this filly. It was likely that the punishment would be a welcome sensation to all the misery she was feeling. In fact, the mention of a whipping seemed to bring a small hint of determination back in Rainbow's eyes. "How many times?" she asked.

Tailwind leaned on her desk with her hooves and looked at Rainbow shrewdly. "You tell me," she answered.

More fire returned to Rainbow's eyes, bringing a smile to Tailwind's face. It was going to take some work but she might salvage a good flyer out of this wreck yet.


	40. Wayward Children

**Upheaval: Breaking Point**

**Chapter 40: Wayward Children**

_"Look at them, Terrato. They're lost and helpless. Even with Discord gone, they will suffer for centuries before they can begin to recover."_

_"Our father has ordered us to return, dearest sister. That begins and ends this matter. Let's go."_

_"I won't go. Not yet."_

_"Celestia, what are you doing? Has Lexarius's madness come upon you? Look at what's left of him and see for yourself what happens to those who go against the King!"_

_"Lexarius's rebellion stemmed from his madness and selfishness. I go against our father for the sake of others. He will understand."_

_"And you will risk his wrath for what? These…these mortal spawn of Oceanus?"_

_"Their parentage is not their fault, Terrato."_

_"Nor is their existence here our concern! We were sent to punish Lexarius and our mission is done. Why make things harder?"_

_"I cannot go back to the Eternal Herd having seen this and done nothing. I just can't."_

_"Then I'm staying as well."_

_"Terrato…"_

_"Don't misunderstand me. I don't care for these mortal ponies. I care about staying by your side."_

The sound of the doors to his makeshift audience hall opening jarred Terrato out of his reverie, a reverie he didn't even know why he indulged in the first place. He had been thinking far too often of Celestia these days. This was unacceptable. He had made it through centuries of isolated duty because of his ability to throw the memory of his sisters to the dark recesses of his mind. That didn't seem possible anymore if Black Rose and Luna had anything say about it. He looked at the ponies who entered and frowned. It was Twilight Sparkle again. Of course, she was with her partner-in-crime, Vanguard Clash, and one more chosen.

"So who's next on the list, Rough Cut?" he asked his recently appointed chamberlain. Besides Rough Cut, there was nopony else in the hall. Having guards for himself was a waste of legionnaires.

"Legionnaire Applejack is here, your highness," Rough Cut replied. "She asked for an audience with you three days ago."

"Oh, yes. The chosen who somehow has a message for me after almost getting shredded." Terrato gestured for the ponies to come closer before turning towards his chamberlain again. "Three days is a rather short time period to recover from a life-threatening injury. Should she really be walking about?"

"Medical apparently cleared her, your highness. It is quite unusual however."

Terrato shrugged. The sooner the better, he guessed. He might see into this recovery later if he had time. Celestia may have done more than just put pictures on her ponies' flanks. Perhaps it was something related to the Elements of Harmony. "I hear you have something important to tell me, Legionnaire Applejack," he said. "Let's hear it." He frowned when he saw her shake a bit and look at him nervously. Not even a minute into the audience and this chosen was already displeasing him.

"I-I'm here to give you a message from the Queen," Applejack finally managed to say.

Terrato's annoyance darkened into a sense of outrage. "Is that so?" he rumbled. "Can you prove it?"

"Y-yes, your highness."

"Good. Because you won't leave this hall alive if you can't. Not even being Celestia's chosen will save you if I find out that you've falsely invoked my mother."

Applejack started shaking some more. Terrato quashed an urge to violently shake her in hopes of causing all her nervousness to tumble out of her ears. He noticed Vanguard Clash gently press a hoof against Applejack's side and whisper something. He listened carefully, picking up the words despite his distance.

"Steady yourself," Vanguard whispered. "He'll only kill you if you're lying and I know you're telling the truth."

Terrato nodded at that. The words of encouragement had a telling effect. Applejack stopped shaking and swallowed hard, drawing strength from her companion's steadiness. "L-lokwoor prop-pter r-reginahm," she said.

Terrato raised an eyebrow. He recognized the words but they were so badly mangled that he had to pause to figure them out. Eventually, the meaning dawned on him."_Loquor propter reginam_," he said. "I speak for the queen. I'm not going to practice the Herd's with you any time soon, Applejack, but I will believe what you have to say."

Applejack let out a sigh of relief.

"Tell me what the Queen said," Terrato went on. "Don't leave a word of it out."

The relief quickly disappeared. Applejack stared incredulously at Terrato and he nearly laughed at the reaction. This earth pony was a little more fun than Twilight Sparkle. She concentrated for some time, likely to make sure she got all the words right before saying anything while he tapped a hoof on the floor as he waited.

Applejack eventually got to tell Terrato his mother's message. At the end of her story, he frowned and leaned back against his seat. He closed his eyes in deep thought, leaving all of them to sweat and wait for his response. "First Luna, now the Queen herself is telling me to act," he said. He opened his eyes and turned towards Twilight. "You know my dearest sister well, Twilight Sparkle. You probably know her better than I do. Tell me, if I flew to the Heartland and smashed her barrier to pieces, how would she react?"

* * *

><p>When Prince Terrato turned his attention towards her, Twilight felt her heart skip a beat. She had been hoping to stay in the background and just observe him. She thought about it carefully. Maintaining the barrier was gravely important to her mentor. 'Important enough to banish even me just to keep it,' she thought sadly. If Prince Terrato were to attack it, it would be enough reason for the princess to fight back. "She would fight you," she answered. Though she had never seen Princess Celestia attack anypony, she was sure that this would be important enough for it to happen. After all, Princess Celestia fought her own sister to protect Equestria from eternal night. Surely, to protect Equestria from the influence of war, she would fight her own brother.<p>

"She would, wouldn't she?" Terrato remarked. "We would end up fighting and that would be the seventh rebellion. The Queen may as well have predicted that Celestia will be kicked in the face, then ordered me to kick her in the face."

"Your highness…"

The moment Twilight Sparkle ventured to speak again, Terrato's glower returned. "Need something again, Twilight Sparkle? I've sent you home once, let you into the Legion, and spared your partner-in-crime. What else can I do for you?"

Twilight held her ground this time. She was beginning to notice something with her mentor's brother. Prince Terrato resorted to threats of violence quickly and casually. He thundered and rumbled whenever he pleased and he glared daggers in a heartbeat. Yet, underneath all that intimidation, he seemed to admire ponies who are able to keep their composure and stand up to him. He resorted to joking around as easily as he resorted to violence and he was a reasonable prince. "If it's alright with you, I just want to know more about these nine rebellions that the Queen mentioned," she asked meekly.

"Twilight Sparkle wants to know about something. I'm shocked," Terrato remarked flatly. There was a moment of silence, but Twilight remained composed. If he wanted to refuse, he would have said no already. "Consider the nine rebellions a countdown to a great upheaval," Terrato finally replied. "I'd say the end of Equestria, but who am I to say what the King will do when 'roused to anger'? He could just scold us for being so disobedient."

Twilight swallowed. "T-the end of Equestria? Why? Why would the King destroy something his children protected for so long?"

"Ask your father," Terrato replied quietly.

"My father? But he's back in the Heartland! What does this have to do with him?"

"Not him. The father you share with him," Terrato said with a snort. "Before you mortal ponies, before even me and my siblings, The King and Queen had only one child: Oceanus. He is the father I'm talking about."

"I didn't know that Princess Celestia had another brother," Twilight said softly.

"Don't you call him our brother!" Terrato thundered. His voice cracked across the room, sending everypony to their knees. "He cast aside all of his family relationships when he started all of this!"

"I don't know what motivated Oceanus," Terrato went on after taking a few seconds to compose himself. "Maybe he grew tired of being just beneath the King and Queen. Maybe he was bored. I wasn't there and I'm not going to be presumptuous enough to think I can understand him solely on the aftermath of his actions. What I do know is that he rebelled against The King and Queen one day and a great many within the Eternal Herd supported him." His eyes narrowed as he continued. "This was the first rebellion. The King defeated him and his supporters and hurled them out of the Eternal Herd. Their battered forms crashed into this world. From the lingering traces of the King's power, Oceanus's own leaking power and his blood, the first of your kind came forth."

Twilight stood in rapt attention. She had never read anything like this in any book. It was an account of creation! The first arrival of ponies into this world!

"Oceanus didn't care for his new 'children' it seemed. He and his followers crawled their way into the depths of the Eastern Waters where they remain up to this day to recover their strength."

It was Vanguard's turn to react. Twilight noticed his eyes widen in realization. "The Eastern Waters," he said quietly. "Nopony has ever crossed that ocean. Those who venture too far simply disappear. To think that it holds a rebellious prince in its depths…"

Terrato ignored the comment and went on. "These ponies lived, multiplied and died. When the first of them arrived in the Eternal Herd, they naturally caused a stir. When it was clear that you mortals will only continue to multiply and grow, the concern was that the blood of Oceanus within all of you will allow him to exert his influence and gain himself even more supporters. One of the royal stewards, Lexarius, volunteered to go to this world and ensure that mortal ponies embodied harmony rather than Oceanus's rebellion."

Terrato's expression darkened. "He did well for over a thousand years. It was during his time that other…beings followed in Oceanus's hoof-steps and formed their mortal progeny in this world. There wasn't any war at that point as mortals were still developing. Those times didn't last however."

Terrato stared hard at Twilight Sparkle. She continued to hold his gaze. She knew that she had done nothing wrong this time and he wasn't going to punish her without cause no matter how annoyed he looked. "You mortal ponies are a frail lot to a pony like Lexarius," he said. "Your bodies are soft. Your minds and hearts are easily mislead. As time went on, Lexarius grew to delight less in maintaining harmony and more in toying with his 'subjects'."

"That's why he turned into Discord." Applejack said with a nod. Twilight recalled Applejack's story about her meeting with Discord in the plane of Vestibulum. It was difficult to accept that a pony of such high stature could turn into a bizarre creature of chaos.

"Discord was given plenty of chances to cease what he was doing and he ignored them all," Terrato went on. "This was the second rebellion. When messengers couldn't get the job done, The King and Queen sent their children to put an end to his reign."

Terrato smiled a bit as he recalled something. He didn't say anything else for a minute and looked far away, reliving some experience. "I'm sure Celestia already gave you details of that encounter minus my involvement," he said. "That would have been a sight for you to see, Twilight Sparkle, it was the only time I ever saw my dearest sister actually angry. She was so angry, in fact, that it wasn't enough for her to destroy Discord outright and send him to the Eternal Herd for punishment. She had to turn him to stone and keep him floating helplessly in Vestibulum forever."

Whatever cheer that Terrato showed disappeared when he went on. "With Discord's rebellion dealt with, we were ordered to return to the Eternal Herd. Another steward was to be given the task of maintaining harmony. Celestia would have none of it however. She insisted on staying and taking on the task herself. When she was told to come home, she refused. Luna and I joined her. This was the third rebellion."

Twilight's jaw fell open in surprise. She could never have imagined that Princess Celestia herself had rebelled against her parents. She looked towards Applejack, who was having a similar reaction to her, then to Vanguard Clash, who listened stoically.

"Under Celestia's reign, Equestria recovered from Discord's madness and grew prosperous. By this time, however, the other races were no longer content in staying in their lands and started invading their neighbors. I've told you this already, Twilight Sparkle."

Twilight nodded. Her mentor had elaborated on that as well.

"The fourth rebellion happened after the division. Luna broke a sacred rule placed upon us siblings and that was to never raise a hoof against each other. She allowed Nightmare Moon to possess her and attacked Celestia to bring eternal night. This assault was the fourth rebellion."

Terrato shook his head before continuing. "I brought our parents into the matter and I was ordered to kill Luna in order to send her back to the Eternal Herd and leave her unable to return to this place forever. Celestia didn't want to part with Luna forever so she refused to take that solution. By banishing Luna to the moon instead of killing her as ordered, she committed the fifth rebellion. Again, this is old news to you chosen."

With that, Terrato stopped. Twilight continued to stand and listen, expecting more. When a minute of silence passed, she ventured to speak up. "Um…what about the sixth rebellion? The Queen said that the seventh was on the way so-"

"I know how to count, Twilight Sparkle," came the sharp reply. Another minute of silence passed. "I committed the sixth rebellion," he said so quietly that Twilight could barely hear him. "There."

"That's not fair!" Twilight blurted out. "You had no problem talking about Princess Celestia's-!" she stopped short when Terrato leaped from his seat and landed right in front of her.

"You're going to age and die, Twilight Sparkle!" Terrato rumbled. "But I'm not. Neither are my sisters. Tell me how that's fair and I'll indulge you!" He turned around and walked back. "Wayward children of Oceanus! We weren't supposed to be here and I wasn't supposed to care beyond making my dearest sister happy. Somewhere along the line, that changed. Now I have to consider attacking Celestia for your sakes! I'd lay the blame of the sixth rebellion on your hooves if I didn't know that it wouldn't matter!"

"Your highness…" Twilight began. She had fallen on her tail at his lunge, but there was something in his tone that made her feel…sorry for him. Before she could speak, however, Terrato looked to the side, his ears perking.

"Somepony's broken through the barrier and into this realm." Terrato said. "Just what is going on in there?"

As if to answer Terrato's question, the air at the center of the audience hall came alive with magical energy. A blast of dark purple energy erupted just above them followed by something falling to the ground heavily. Everypony in the room walked over to investigate.

"Luna!"

Terrato ran ahead of the rest and nudged his little sister with his snout. Luna had materialized in midair following a powerful teleportation spell. There were small burns around her body, including some singed feathers on her wings, and she was barely conscious. "Get some medics in here!" Terrato roared. He gently lifted his sister with his magic and placed her on his back. "What happened?" he asked her, gentleness and urgency warring in his tone.

"Big brother…" Luna wheezed. "The Heartland is…the Heartland-!" Before she could finish, Luna fainted, her legs falling limp against Terrato's sides.

"Princess Luna!" Twilight cried out as she ran up to the two alicorns with Applejack right behind her. Even Vanguard had come forward out of concern. They could tell that Princess Luna was smoking even at a distance.

Terrato stomped a hoof against the floor, causing it to crack and sending tremors throughout the building. Twilight looked on but she still couldn't make sense of the sudden events. What had just happened? Did Celestia attack Luna? "Must everything push me into this confrontation?" Terrato growled. "Is the entire world going to rejoice when I raise my hoof against Celestia?" He looked to the south, then towards the ponies entering the chamber. Several ponies from Medical were already running forward to help. "I'm going to see to what happened myself."

"Your highness, what of King Fenrir?" Vanguard asked.

"He'll honor the pact," Terrato replied. "As for Nightmare Moon, I will leave her to the Elements of Harmony until I return. I cannot ignore this matter any longer!" With that, his horn flared with gray light and he disappeared.

Twilight looked worriedly towards the south. "Princess Celestia…" She felt a hoof on her shoulder.

"Our rulers will settle things by themselves," Vanguard said. He tried to sound reassuring, but she could hear the worry in his voice. "Our job is to make sure that the duties they left us remain fulfilled."

Twilight rested her head against the hoof in resignation. All she could do now was hope that her mentor and her siblings make it out of this safely.


	41. The Last Straw

**Upheaval: Breaking Point**

**Chapter 41: The Last Straw**

For Breeze Wing and Gale Heart, patrolling the inner halls of the Royal Palace had always been an onerous task. While it was true that it was an honor to guard the home of Equestria's princesses, patrolling the places where the public didn't go seemed…trivial. For hundreds of years, there hasn't been a single case of trespassing, robbery, or anything that would require the attention of guards in the palace. Appearances were also pointless if nopony even came to these parts of the palace.

"What's with the sweating?" Gale Heart asked his partner. "This boring route making you tense?"

"No," Breeze Wing replied. "I accidentally passed too close to one of those flaming…things on our way here. You saw it."

"I was too busy covering my ears," Gale Heart said. "The last time I checked up on him, Bronze Mane was still complaining of headaches after he heard those things."

"Still don't see why Princess Celestia needs a bunch of flaming creatures. Or why they're sticking to Princess Luna like glue."

"I'm more worried about Princess Celestia herself. I heard Captain Bright Shield saying that she's been real skittish these past two days."

The two of them rounded a corner when Breeze Wing stopped. A dark shape darted at the end of the corridor out of the corner of his eye. "Hey!" he called out. "Did you see that?"

"See what? I didn't se-!"

Gale Heart was about to say something when something struck him in the head, flinging him back for a few feet. Worriedly, Breeze Wing ran over to help him up only to discover his partner's head pierced by a shaft of wood. Gale Heart's eyes stared out vacantly as Breeze Wing backed up. "What's going on?" Breeze Wing cried out. He looked around to find dark-garbed ponies all around him. Realizing that he was surrounded and caught by surprise, he could only cry out as a final attempt to warn the others before the ponies closed in.

* * *

><p>As the day came to an end for the Heartland, Luna concentrated on one of the few things she was still allowed to do in Equestria. Ever since she returned from the Barrier Lands, she had been slowly stewing in her own frustration in the palace. Celestia was almost impossible to talk to, either avoiding her or refusing to say anything. It had been worse for the past two days. Something had happened that had Celestia incredibly distracted and worried. Luna guessed that the barrier had been breached or it had something to do with Terrato.<p>

None of the guards were allowed to say anything about it to her, as if she was some traitorous mare who would relay any information she got to her brother. More and more, she felt like a prisoner in the Heartland. To fulfill her promise to Applejack, she had had to resort to sending letters to the families of each of the bearers of the Elements of Harmony. A personal visit or asking them to come to the palace would have had them faced with the Equi Ignei.

For now, Luna focused her magic and willed the very moon to begin its steady rise. It was a delicate and important task, one that she felt she had taken for granted over a thousand years ago. Raising the moon required not just a great deal of raw magic, but patience and a sense of timing, carefully coinciding with the sun's setting and gently making the transition required…

A long drawn out scream from outside her personal chambers nearly ruined her preparations.

Luna winced and redoubled her efforts. Ever since ponies from the Royal Guard began to move back into the palace and resume their duties, screaming across the halls had become an occasional annoyance. Some guard would make the mistake of wondering if it was alright to touch the Equi Ignei, or to stand around when the beings spoke to one another. Despite admonitions from Pegasus Guard Captain Bright Shield, incidents still occurred.

The moon was properly in place when Luna heard a second cry. Now that was strange. Two in quick succession? Surely the guards weren't that foalish? She stepped out of her chambers and looked around. The Equi Ignei guarding her door remained perfectly still. "What is going on out here?" she asked.

One of her "guards", jail keepers as Luna saw them, responded in its language. She was thankful that there were no mortal guards around.

"Intruders? Who would dare to enter the castle at these times?"

The Equi Ignei didn't speak again, but the lack of reaction alone told Luna something already. The intruders were mortal which was why they weren't rushing about already. While she pitied the poor ponies who accidentally heard the Equi Ignei speak, Celestia's "precautions" were forbidden from attacking or even interacting with mortals. Any form of willful assault they make against one would send them back to the Eternal Herd. She decided to see what had happened for herself. As she strode through the hall, the two Equi Ignei followed like clockwork. They maintained perfect formation and remained exactly ten steps behind her. It didn't matter if she decided back up abruptly or stop, there was no shaking them out of place.

A nearby explosion that reverberated across the halls spurred Luna from a curious walk to an urgent gallop. The palace was indeed under attack. From the sound of things, there were intruders within the Chamber of Harmony itself. The next turn should bring her to the main hallway leading to it. As she turned the corner, her hooves slid across something thick and slippery covering the marble floor. She skidded several feet forward before righting herself, glad to keep some form of dignity despite what had just happened. She turned to look at the Equi Ignei irritably. They were still exactly ten steps behind her. She then looked at what exactly she had slipped at. The palace's maids were still adjusting to the presence of enormous pony-shaped flames walking the halls, but that was no excuse to leave puddles of slick liquid around. Her indignation turned into horror, however, when she noticed what she had slipped on. She left behind her a red trail, having slipped on a puddle of blood. The limp bodies of a couple of royal guards were crumpled by the darkened corner of the hall.

'What happened here?' Despite her revulsion, Luna walked over to inspect the dead guards. Both of them had taken a crossbow bolt to the neck. She had seen these bolts before, they were the same ones used by the Legion. 'Big brother, when I said you had to act soon, I didn't mean this…'

She looked ahead almost gagged at the sight. Strewn across the hall were more dead guards, each one dispatched with a bolt to the neck or head. One of them had large gash across the neck. She shook her head in sadness and disbelief. Celestia's royal guards were brave and strong, each one hoof-picked from hundreds of candidates. They were well trained and well equipped, each one was motivated to serve Equestria as best he could. But Terrato's legionnaires were battle-hardened warriors, exposed at a very young age to a world of violence with years of experience fighting the monsters that threatened Equestria. Even during times of respite, they were pitted against each other, always honing their fighting skills. The difference was far too great.

The double doors that led to the Chamber of Harmony were wide open when Luna approached them. Inside the chamber stood her elder sister. Celestia was visibly shaking. Her horn was still glowing and her face was a mixture of rage and disbelief. "Big sister…" Luna said. She took a step into the chamber.

"Stay where you are, Luna," Celestia said the moment Luna took that step. The chamber was empty and the doors that led to the Elements of Harmony were closed. Luna noticed the smudges of gray scattered throughout the floor. She realized that it was ash. The floor was covered with fine ash, as were the stained glass designs all around the chamber. At one part of the chamber were the charred, but still whole. remains of a pony.

"Big sister, what have you done?"

Celestia looked at Luna, guilt spreading across her face. "They forced my hoof, Luna!" she said. "They stormed into the palace to steal the Elements of Harmony and they slaughtered every guard that got in their way! You should have seen them. Even when I faced them they uttered no sound and moved with no hesitation!"

Luna looked at her hooves and realized that they had already been smudged with ash. The remains of a dead pony were clinging to her silver shoes. She looked to Celestia, whose normally pristine white coat was covered with a fine layer of gray. "You burned them, big sister," she said. "There's nothing left of those ponies but ash!"

"They were not ponies," Celestia replied, her voice dropping low. "I don't know what they are. I tried to stop murderous, unfeeling creatures that wore the faces of ponies from stealing the Elements of Harmony. These are…these are what Terrato has let his legionnaires become!"

Celestia's answer struck Luna like a physical blow. She gaped at her sister for a moment before saying anything. "We're not even sure if these ponies were working for him!" she protested.

"Who else has the power to send so many through the barrier? Who else can scramble my spells so that I couldn't tell where in the Heartland they were sent?"

"I've been trying to tell you all this time! It's not our brother! Black Rose-!" One look at Celestia's face stopped Luna. Her elder sister looked at her so suspiciously that she realized that there was no point in explaining anything.

"Then, why won't he answer my summons?" Celestia asked. "Why won't he return Twilight Sparkle and her friends to my realm?"

Luna held herself tall and looked her sister in the eye as she replied. "If I answered your questions, big sister, are you going to believe me?"

"There is only one question I would like you to answer to my face, Luna. I am going to confront Terrato about his actions. If the worst comes to pass, will you side by me or him?"

Luna's eyes widened. "Side by…have you gone mad? I was foalish enough to break the sacred rule between us siblings, big sister! Surely you won't follow in my hoof-steps!"

"I have rebelled twice against The King and Queen's edicts, Luna," Celestia replied with some resignation in her tone. "For the sake of my little ponies, I will not hesitate to do so a third time."

It was Luna's turn to start shaking. "You foal…" she said quietly. "You stubborn foal…all you had to do was visit our brother once and you could have seen for yourself what sort of ponies served with him to protect Equestria. You could have seen how he ran the Legion and how faithful he has been to the laws you laid down. You had more than a thousand years to spare a day to see him and you didn't. It must be so easy for Black Rose to have you dancing to her tune."

"That is enough, Luna!"

"You're right for once, big sister! This is enough! You asked me if I would side with you against Terrato. My answer is no! I will not help you start the sixth rebellion!"

"Then it is just as Sun Gazer said! The two of you have turned against me!"

Sun Gazer. Luna remembered the pony who had spread the lies about her and her brother. He must surely be an agent of Black Rose. If she could capture him and bring him to Terrato…she began to back away. Celestia stepped forward and looked to the Equi Ignei still standing behind her. The pony-shaped flames surrounded Luna menacingly, their wings outstretched. When she tried a teleportation spell, she found it blocked. 'Dimensional Lock,' she thought. It had likely been put throughout the palace the moment she arrived. She had underestimated her sister's growing paranoia. She had thought that there was still a chance to allay it, but she was wrong. If things were to continue, she would be trapped here, unable to do anything while her two elder siblings clashed.

Left with no choice, Luna threw up a defensive spell, then flapped her wings hard. She flew right through the Equi Ignei blocking her path to the Chamber of Harmony's exit before anypony could react. Her shield broke almost immediately as she burst through the being's fiery body. Searing pain, the blaze of otherworldly fire, washed over her from head to tail. She nearly fainted and slammed into a wall, but she managed to stay conscious and turn at the last moment. The Equi Ignei she burst through had temporarily discorporated and was still reforming as she made a dash for it. "Stop her!" she heard her sister cry out.

There was little time for Luna to think extensively. The dimensional lock spell that extended to who knows how far would prevent anypony from using teleportation spells, leaving Celestia and the Equi Ignei as magically "grounded" as she was so it all came down to flight speed. She beat her wings fiercely, making her way to Sun Gazer's quarters. She hoped to capture the pony, then escape to the Barrier Lands to find out more from him. To her horrified surprise, the door to Sun Gazer's room were open and the guards stationed by them were dead. All she could do was fly by swiftly. She saw the bloodstains on the bed and expected the worst. The pony intruders had made a stop here. How long had they been in the Heartland and what sort of activities had Black Rose made them do?

A furious, otherworldly neigh from behind Luna told her that the Equi Ignei were catching up. Spotting a large, nearby window, she sent a blast of force that shattered the glass and flew out to the night sky as fast as she could. The cool night breeze felt soothing against her burns. The only thing she could hope to do now was fly out of the dimensional lock's range, then teleport to the Barrier Lands. That was going to be very difficult. She was slowing down despite her best efforts. The Royal Palace was a good distance behind her already when she looked back, but Celestia and the Equi Ignei were coming even closer.

"Luna!" Celestia called out. The genuine concern in her tone only served to hurt Luna more. "You're hurt! Cease this running for both our sakes!"

Realizing that trying to reply would only take from her fleeting strength, Luna kept on flying. Her horn was aglow with constant effort for a teleportation spell, searching for the edges of Celestia's dimensional lock. The range of her sister's abjuration magic was incredible. She was flying towards the edges of Canterlot already with the palace far behind her, but the lock was still there, a testament to Celestia's magical might.

A sudden spark of blackness just ahead of her caused her to instinctively stop. It was as if shadows were gathering, forming the shape of a pony. "Need help, dear sister?" she heard the shape speak in a soft, silky tone.

"Who are you?" Luna asked. The shadow form materialized into a beautiful unicorn mare with a long flowing mane of crimson spilling from her head and neck that billowed in the breeze. She had a coat of lustrous black that could match the night sky itself. A pair of pegasi wearing the Legion's barding also appeared right next to her. 'No,' Luna thought. This unicorn had wings. An alicorn like her? That was impossible. She would know if somepony from the Eternal Herd made their way into this world. She concentrated on the pony. The wings seemed so real, but she still noticed the faint aura of magic. This only added to her confusion. The wings were partly magical constructs and partly real. Here was a unicorn on the verge of transforming into one of her kind.

_"I trusted her too much and allowed her access to knowledge she shouldn't have."_

Her brother's words struck Luna. 'Big brother…you didn't," She clenched her teeth. Her brother was a foal as well. All he needed to do was speak out and confront Celestia. Instead he had resorted to something like this. Things were worse than she had imagined. It was likely now that it wasn't the sixth rebellion she had to stop, but the seventh.

"My apologies," the unicorn said. "We haven't been introduced yet. My name is Black Rose and I'm here to help you." Before Luna could reply, Black Rose's horn became surrounded by a swirling aura of blackness. A wave of shadows, like a thick bank of smoke, materialized before her, billowing towards Celestia and the approaching Equi Ignei. The smoke engulfed them completely as they flew into it. "This is the end of her dimensional lock," Black Rose said with a smile. "Please use my distraction to escape and return to my beloved."

Luna hesitated. She did need help. She was rapidly tiring and about to pass out. But this was Black Rose. This was her brother's former student, the rebel who wanted her elder sister dead. How else could she interpret this aid other than one more step in Black Rose's dark plans? "What are you planning?" she asked weakly. Even talking took much from her.

"I plan on helping you," Black Rose answered softly. "Then I plan on helping all of Equestria. Even Princess Celestia. Please escape, Princess Luna. I don't want you to get hurt any further."

The sheer sincerity of Black Rose's tone frightened Luna. Could there be such a pony who could lie so well that even she felt convinced? Or was it possible that Black Rose really was acting on behalf of Equestria? Which was worse? That was not even counting the power that Black Rose had at her command. It was no small feat to penetrate Celestia's barrier and Black Rose managed to do so for herself and several other ponies.

"I understand that you may not have enough strength to make such a long teleportation," Black Rose said. "Let me take care of the rest then."

"Wait!" Luna cried out. She realized that she was surrounded by Black Rose's swirling black magic. She could feel the teleportation spell taking hold. She tried desperately to break the spell, but the pain of her injuries slowed her casting. In a blink, she was gone from the Heartland.

* * *

><p>When magical darkness surrounded Celestia, it took her but a few seconds to break the spell with a burst of dazzling white light. Against her magic, the darkness dissipated like morning fog, revealing her attacker. "Who are you and what have you done with Luna?" she demanded. To see this...unicorn was unnerving. It almost felt as if she was in the presence of a fellow alicorn...that wasn't. What had her brother been up to? Had he been trying to change mortal ponies into alicorns? They were forbidden to alter the mortal ponies' fate like this!<p>

"It's a shame that the Elements of Harmony could not be taken by stealth," the unicorn said, "but we have rescued Princess Luna and that traitor, Sun Gazer, has been punished. Enjoy the last gasps of your reign, Celestia. My prince will take his rightful place soon enough!"

"Your prince…rightful place…" Celestia's eyes narrowed. "So you are more of Terrato's agents! Can't he face me himself? Why does he send his subjects to murder my ponies and steal from me in the dark?"

"You will get your wish soon enough, 'your highness'," the unicorn replied. "Since we cannot take the Elements of Harmony in secret, the Legion will have to burn its way to Canterlot and take it by force. Farewell until then."

Celestia's eyes widened. Her worst fears had come to pass at last. Terrato, the same Terrato who proudly called himself her most loyal defender, was attacking her. Luna, for all her remorse over becoming Nightmare Moon, had turned against her once more. She had precious little time to prepare against an invasion of these unfeeling monsters that her brother had made an army out of. She had to go on an offensive. If Terrato shattered her barrier and the Legion entered the Heartland, war would consume all of Equestria. Her only option was to reinforce the barrier, then meet Terrato with the Equi Ignei by her side. Perhaps she could defeat him and drive him away. The sight of their prince on the retreat could very well demoralize the Legion. She looked to the north and steeled herself.

During that moment of distraction, Celestia felt another spell being cast. She turned her gaze back towards the unicorn only to find herself flying alone with the Equi Ignei.

* * *

><p>At the end of Black Rose's teleportation spell, Luna found herself crashing in the middle of a stone chamber. "Luna!" she heard her brother cry out. So she had made it to the Barrier Lands after all. She crashed on the floor, the jarring impact hurting her even more. She had to tell him. Black Rose and her agents were in Celestia's realm. The Heartland was under attack.<p>

"Big Brother…the Heartland is…the Heartland…"

Luna's vision blurred, then failed completely.


	42. Harmony

**Upheaval: Breaking Point**

**Chapter 42: Harmony**

Few ponies in Bastion City knew that their prince had left and that his younger sister was back and badly injured. For those who did, Commander Dreadstep among them, it was better that way.

Sitting in his office just above the Grand Meeting Hall, Dreadstep was beginning to feel all his years of service catching up with him. The feeling was heightened by the presence of Captain Vanguard Clash. It seemed that a lot of the major events during these days involved Special Operations's youngest captain. From the look of things, that trend was going to continue. He felt a little envious especially as he saw how calmly Vanguard Clash seemed to take things. "Whatever these 'Elements of Harmony' are supposed to be, it is necessary to keep these chosen together," he told Vanguard. "They will be temporarily formed into their own squad. Given your history so far with them, I am assigning them to your command."

"Yes, sir," was Vanguard's neutral reply.

"Good. Dismissed."

Vanguard Clash turned and walked out of the office without so much as a flinch. Dreadstep suppressed a sigh. How long ago was it when being at the precipice of a major battle left him excited? Such was not the case anymore. He was fretting. Like somepony's grandfather fussing over trivial things, he was in his office worrying instead of waiting impatiently for some action.

He had served under the Legion's ageless leader even when he was still a colt. Three times he had been stationed in a place which Prince Terrato commanded personally. Equestria's "Unyielding Gray Sentinel" seemed capricious at times, but he had always done what was best for Equestria's defense. If Prince Terrato decided to leave Bastion City to take care of an important matter as Captain Vanguard Clash had reported earlier, then it must surely be for the best.

"The best", however, was a rather precarious situation at the moment. First, there was the sudden trade of royalty that Bastion City now harbored. Instead of being assured that Prince Terrato would be there should Fenrir lead the charge, the city now had to play refuge to a badly injured Princess Luna. Dreadstep seldom felt anything for the wolven save for disgust and contempt, but he now marveled at wolven honor, an aspect of his enemy that he had never paid attention to before.

All wolven possessed a heightened sense of smell. More so their king who, had managed to pick up Princess Luna's scent from miles away. Given the unabashed lust that Fenrir had for the Princess of the Night, it was nothing short of a miracle that he had not stormed the front gate in a whirlwind of frost and fangs. The pact held Fenrir in check even with his "prize" so close and defenseless. Dreadstep had to hand it to the King of Wolvengard. Restraint and honor were not things he would have associated with a giant one-eyed monster.

Wolven honor only got them so far, however. Wolven cunning meant that Fenrir would use every available loophole to his favor in order take Bastion City and Princess Luna. That led to the strangest weapon in the wolven's arsenal, this so-called Nightmare Moon who was somehow possessing the former legionnaire, Pyre Valor. Against her, Prince Terrato had left instructions that the Elements of Harmony be prepared to fight as a group. The Elements of Harmony happened to be the six chosen that Vanguard Clash had been tending to since FangBreaker's fall.

It all didn't sit in well with Dreadstep. "The Elements of Harmony" didn't quite give him the assurance that a few hundred reinforcing legionnaires did. What could six chosen ponies with less than a month of being in the Legion, let alone combat experience, possibly do against a former Special Operations unicorn mage empowered by some spirit that the wolven practically worshiped?

A look into the records so far was also far from reassuring. Out of all of them, Legionnaire Twilight Sparkle seemed the most promising. She was the constant talk among the unicorn mage captains for her quick rise in personal power as well as her very frequent spars with her seniors. She was also known for not being very social with her fellow legionnaires and for transforming from being a quiet, meek pony to a veritable spell-casting monster during spars. Dreadstep had first thought that Vanguard Clash had somehow found Pyre Valor's sister, another very driven, very powerful pony who neither made nor wanted any more friends beyond a small circle of them.

Mage Captain Owlsight likely agreed as he had recommended that Twilight Sparkle be transferred to a Special Operations squad. Twilight Sparkle was too powerful to be a rank-and-file unicorn mage, shooting energy bolts in spell-fire lines or participating in evocation arrays like the others. She needed to be placed strategically where a well-placed spell did the most damage. Dreadstep had talked to Vanguard Clash about it. The young captain insisted that Twilight Sparkle needed more time before being placed in Special Operations. He had agreed, but he wasn't quite convinced by Vanguard's assessment. He knew delaying tactics when he heard them. How Twilight Sparkle continued to perform will decide his decision on that matter.

Legionnaire Rainbow Dash was also another fast learner. Dreadstep entertained the idea that both Rainbow Dash and Twilight Sparkle were "misplaced" by Princess Celestia and should have been Barrier Lands ponies from the start. It was seldom that Flight Captain Tailwind ever saw potential among the Legion's pegasi recruits. The last time she did was with Scarlet Rabbit, who was still the Northern Legion's best flyer. He was inclined to believe that Rainbow Dash would match that potential, perhaps even exceed it. She was currently out of action, however, having been whipped for disobeying orders in battle. He shook his head at that, but Scarlet Rabbit was no stranger to the whip either.

There was also Legionnaire Applejack, the third of the chosen who were out in the front lines. Not as spectacular as her friends, but she was doing well. Like her pegasus friend, she was out of action, having been gravely injured recently. But Dreadstep was glad to find out that it was for a good thing: saving her friend, as opposed to recklessness and insubordination. How she was already moving about would remain a mystery. She may not show a great deal of potential like Twilight Sparkle and Rainbow Dash, but Dreadstep considered her more…stable. Some stability should be a good thing for both the Legion and these "Elements of Harmony".

Then there were the other three. Legionnaire Fluttershy was a medic, albeit one who had survived Redbrand's scrutiny and temper so far. That should mean something. However, Legionnaire Pinkie Pie was a cook and Legionnaire Rarity was a smith's apprentice. Vital roles, but not exactly front line material. How did they all fit into fighting the monster that destroyed FangBreaker's gates with impunity?

Nevertheless, Dreadstep had them all separated from their units, grouped together, then placed on standby. He just hoped that they could perform should Nightmare Moon show up. Lookouts were reporting that the wolven were getting restless again. It didn't help that a large group of them had arrived as reinforcements from FangBreaker Fortress. An attack could be well under way.

* * *

><p>When he had first heard that his friends were going to be gathered together as a unit and kept on standby, Spike was overjoyed. It felt like a lifetime since they were together for a long period of time. He could only imagine the sort of conversations that would fly about with so many experiences being thrown at them left and right: how everypony was getting along with the Legion, Applejack's strange encounter, Princess Luna's sudden arrival...so many things.<p>

The reality did not even come close to living up to his expectations. Instead of a fond reunion, what he got was an awkward gathering of ponies. Everypony had their gear on, from Twilight and Rarity's mage-coats to Applejack's metal barding. Rarity even had those strange set of crystal-embedded blades which were now circling lazily above her. When Twilight had asked to try and hold one earlier, the blade shot out the moment the magic surrounding it went from white to purple, burying itself deeply into a wall just a few inches from Fluttershy's face. Spike sighed. They were told to stay together in their quarters and expect an imminent attack. That seemed to be the only reason they were together, as opposed to being friends and missing one another.

Twilight was sitting by one corner of the room, her nose buried in yet another spell book, when Spike approached her.

"Not now, Spike!" Twilight said when he tapped her shoulder. "I'm trying to get these spells down before Pyre Valor attacks!"

"Pyre who?" Spike asked.

"Pyre Valor! She-!" Twilight stopped herself. "I mean Nightmare Moon," she amended quietly. "Prince Terrato expects us to deal with Nightmare Moon if she tries to attack the city again." She looked around. "I don't know how we're going to do that. We don't even have the Elements of Harmony with us! The only thing we can do is improve on what we can use and hope for the best."

"Twilight, who's this Pyre?" Spike insisted.

"She's-!" Twilight shook her head. "She's the pony that Nightmare Moon is possessing."

"Then we should try to free her," Spike said. "Just like you freed Princess Luna, right?"

"No!" Twilight snapped. When Spike fell back, she let out a long exhale before speaking more calmly. "She's different. Pyre Valor wants to do this. Nightmare Moon's just helping her. I mean, she tried to burn Vanguard up, then betrayed FangBreaker Fortress! How many ponies are dead because of her?"

"Then what are you planning to do once you meet her again?" Spike asked. "Kill her?"

"I…well…" Twilight hesitated. "I will," she finally answered, much to his horror. "We'll drive out Nightmare Moon somehow and, if Pyre Valor won't surrender then…I'll do it." She didn't even meet his gaze as she said so. For a moment, Spike wanted to burn up those books she was reading. All those lethal combat spells were starting to affect Twilight. It was just a couple of weeks ago when she would have angrily refused to kill anypony.

Twilight went back to reading. Spike didn't have anything to say to that so he left her alone to head on over to Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie and Rarity. To his relief, the four of them were glad to be together. He looked over his shoulder towards another pony who was making things difficult.

Rainbow Dash sat by another corner, as far away from Applejack as possible. She hadn't come back to their shared quarters ever since Applejack had been injured. Spike only found out later from Vanguard Clash that she had been staying in Flight Dreadwing's barracks for the past three days. Her back was wrapped in bandages and she refused to say anything when questioned about them. Whenever anypony approached, she looked away and mumbled her answers. After each giving it a try, everypony decided to let her be. Perhaps, when her physical wounds healed, so would whatever was troubling her.

As the minutes passed, Applejack eventually lost her temper. "Darn it, Rainbow! What in the hay is wrong with you?" she demanded. Her barding jingled as she slammed her hooves against the wall by either side of Rainbow's head, pinning the pegasus in place. "Look at me, darn it!"

Despite Applejack's face just a few inches away from hers, Rainbow looked down without so much as a shadow of resistance. "What do you want from me, Applejack?" she mumbled.

"I want you to talk to me! What happened to you?"

"Applejack, calm down!" Rarity said. Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie looked on worriedly.

There was no response. Applejack's face twisted with emotion. She didn't want this. Even Spike didn't want this. He would have preferred an angry, confrontational Rainbow Dash this husk of a pony. Applejack's outburst only served to completely shut Rainbow down. With a snort of frustration, she turned around. Spike could only look on helplessly. Just what would it take to get things right?

"I don't know how we're supposed to beat Nightmare Moon if she shows up," Applejack said quietly once she rejoined the others. "Even if we did have the Elements of Harmony with us, we're not in harmony at all!" She paused, as if hearing words that nopony else could.

"Applejack, are you alright?" Rarity asked.

"What? Oh, sorry. I was just thinking."

Rarity frowned slightly as she continued. Right next to her, Pinkie and Fluttershy had their own conversation. "Like I was saying, I'm really quite surprised at how flexible metal can be. I just wish it didn't take so much heat and pounding to shape it. Hammer Chain said I'm improving quickly and, if I keep up with my pace, he'd let me work with nightsteel soon!"

Applejack was only half listening. While Spike sat and listened carefully, he saw her attention occasionally going back to Rainbow and Twilight sitting by themselves. "Nightsteel?" she asked absentmindedly. "What's that? Some hoity-toity version of normal steel?"

"Certainly not!" Rarity answered. "Nightsteel is a much stronger metal, superior to normal steel in every way. Naturally, it's much rarer thus only used for exceptional sets of barding. You should be familiar with it, Applejack, Captain Clash wears a suit of one almost all the time!"

"Oh, you mean that black metal barding!" Applejack said. "So that's what it's called. I'm gonna wear a set of my own one day. You said it was rare so that means it's expensive. How much are we talking about here?"

"It's not just a matter of bits, Applejack," Rarity replied. "The Equestrian Legion controls the production of nightsteel. You need to have done something truly heroic in its eyes if you want one of its smiths to be commissioned to make you one."

"So that means Vanguard did something heroic before," Applejack mused. "Not surprising there…"

Spike watched Applejack's eyes as they seemed to glaze over in deep thought. Some kind of a dazed smile curved her lips.

"What was that?" Rarity asked suspiciously.

"What was what?"

"You had a funny look in your eyes just a moment ago and...oh dear."

Applejack raised an eyebrow. "A funny look? What in tarnation are you talking about?"

Rarity's eyes narrowed as she stared at Applejack. Then she glanced at Twilight, who was completely immersed in her reading, as if she was looking at a potential disaster. "Applejack," she said, "there are…a lot of complications among us, if you've noticed."

Applejack followed Rarity's glance. "Is that what you call it?" she said in a low tone. "Problems is more like it."

"That being said. I don't think creating more is a good idea."

"Of course not! Why would anypony think that making more problems is a good idea? I'm not dense, Rarity!"

Rarity stared blankly at Applejack for a second. Then she let out a sigh. "Nevermind," she said. "Perhaps this one will go away on its own. I hope."

Before Applejack could say anything else, all of them heard the sound of horns blowing at a distance. Twilight quickly shut her book and stood up. "We're under attack," she said.

For the first time since she was ordered to stay in their quarters and wait with her friends, Rainbow Dash perked up. The others were quick to notice this as well. There was no excited grin on her face, just a grim, determined look. Spike felt that he should see this as an improvement. It seemed that Rainbow was no longer delighted by the prospect of fighting and killing. However, all he felt was more apprehension.

The door to their quarters opened, revealing Vanguard Clash and Scarlet Rabbit. The two of them were partly covered in snow. Past the doors, a blizzard was howling in force. "Let's move out," Vanguard said.

"Welcome to Special Operations, everypony!" Scarlet said enthusiastically. "This definitely calls for a party after this fight!"

"For the last time, Scarlet, they are not joining Special Operations!" Vanguard admonished.

Scarlet didn't seem to hear Vanguard as he hovered next to Rainbow. "Speaking of celebrations, ready for another round tonight?" he asked her. "We have to get some of the stronger stuff this time. That bottle of Storm Brew's Average Stuff barely made a dent on you!"

"Scarlet!" Rainbow said in a panic. "Not here!"

"Is that what you've been doing these past three days?" Applejack asked incredulously. "Drinking? Why-"

Vanguard put a hoof on Applejack's shoulder and turned her towards the door. "Not now," he said sternly. "Get to the northern gates as a group. Scarlet, one more word and I'm clapping you in irons."

Applejack shot Rainbow a look, silently telling her that they'll deal with this later.

* * *

><p>As the group made their way through the blizzard, Twilight ran at the forefront, a mixture of concern and anticipation granting her speed that surprised her. This blizzard was strangely familiar, she had experienced this before. This was…<p>

Then it hit them, a paralyzing fear that stopped them in their tracks. Behind her, Twilight saw Fluttershy collapse while the others seemed unable to move. "King Fenrir!" she managed to gasp. "He's…he's spreading that fear again!"

Vanguard took a labored step forward. "Damn!" he snarled. "We can't fight like this. Without the prince, there's no way to neutralize it!" He took another step forward. "He's not even attacking directly! Cunning dog, he's beating our defense by just standing there!"

Panicked cries from up ahead told them that the rest of the Legion was experiencing the same problem. To make things worse, the howls of thousands of wolven joined the blizzard's howling as the attack commenced.

'We've lost!' Twilight thought. 'The wolven will break through and we won't even be able to put up a fight!' She tried desperately to fight of the wrenching fear. Her heart was pounding wildly, her insides wrestled with each other, and her legs trembled violently. Still, she managed to take another step. The effort alone was draining. She was about to collapse in utter defeat when she heard it.

It was a neigh. A clarion, melodious neigh broke through the cacophony of howls. The intensity of the blizzard lessened and a great portion of the crushing fear was lifted from Twilight's shoulders. She saw the others stand up, look at each other in amazement, then search for the source of that neigh.

On one street leading to the northern gates, Princess Luna walked defiantly against the winds. She was wrapped in bandages and she was breathing heavily. She also walked with a limp on one of her forelegs, but none of those things detracted from the awe that she inspired from those who saw her. A crackling aura of dark magical energy surrounded her as she walked onward. "Fight on, Legion!" she cried out. "I will not let you fall while my brother is away!"

The nearby legionnaires shouted in unison and pressed onward. The blizzard had not completely subsided and Twilight still felt a twinge of fear coming from the King of Wolvengard. The shout, she realized, was not just to cheer on Princess Luna, but also to gather their own courage. She gave a shout of her own, one mirrored by her friends behind her and pressed on.

* * *

><p>For Applejack, seeing and hearing Princess Luna's defiant neigh only hammered home a point she had long since considered. 'We can't lose now,' she thought. 'Everypony's been fighting so hard. There's just too much counting on us!' She looked to her friends. Their friendship itself was in danger and they were about to be thrust into a fight that they were definitely not prepared for. Rainbow was injured, Fluttershy, Rarity and Pinkie had yet to get into a fight while Twilight was acting very strangely. Somehow, she had to protect all of them. Even without the Elements of Harmony.<p>

_"Harmonia Intus."_

'I know, your majesty!' Applejack thought. 'How's that going to help? She said she was going to give me a gift, but what was it? What should I do?'

The group approached the northern gates at last. From the sounds, they realized that the battle had already started. Bolts and spells flew from the walls while the air was filled with both snarls and neighs.

A wave of flames engulfed a section of the ramparts to the left of the gates . Applejack winced as she heard the cries of agony coming from the pony defenders that were caught in the blast. She saw one blazing pony teeter from the edge and fall into a smoldering heap to the bottom of the wall. She looked at the flames and saw the figure of a pony emerge from the blast.

"She's here," Twilight said. She was also looking at the figure. Applejack strained to hear the words. "Pyre Valor."

* * *

><p>Nightmare Moon watched as Bastion City's defenders backed away from her. She laughed as a few shot at her with bolts only to have the projectiles incinerated with black flame before they were even close. <strong><em>"Thank you for making things easy, Princess Luna!"<em>** she called out to the injured alicorn. **_"But Fenrir insists that we destroy everything first before we drag you to him!"_**

A torrent of white hot flame sped towards Nightmare Moon. Though a little surprised at the boldness of the attack, she remained on guard and matched it with her flame. She looked towards the source of the spell and snarled. **_"Twilight Sparkle again. That mare is an unending pest!"_** She could feel Pyre Valor's presence rise up within her. Not this again. What was it with Twilight Sparkle that infuriated her host so much?**_ 'You will stay out of this one, Pyre Valor. I will deal with Twilight Sparkle myself!'_**

'You can try, Nightmare Moon,' Pyre Valor replied. 'Kill the rest, but I know that I will have to be the one to crush that arrogant mare myself!'

**_"We shall see."_**

Nightmare Moon adorned herself with a wreath of black flames and jumped towards her foes.


	43. The Seventh Rebellion

**Upheaval: Breaking Point**

**Chapter 43: The Seventh Rebellion**

The farther he flew southward, the stronger Terrato felt Celestia's presence. This would be a first since she established the Heartland. "And me without a welcoming feast," he muttered. How often had he entertained the idea of her coming to the Barrier Lands? How often had he thought of what he would do on such an occasion? He would hold a grand feast, perhaps a parade and certainly a grand tour to show off his rule and assure her that everything was fine.

Except that, right now, everything was not fine. This was not the Barrier Lands he wanted to show Celestia. Not this Barrier Lands with enemies invading or legionnaires turning traitor. The presence grew even stronger. He didn't have to travel that far from Bastion City as Celestia was swiftly making her way towards him. He noted that she hadn't come by teleportation spell meaning that she was conserving her strength. He was doing the same in preparation for the worst. He checked his surroundings. At the rate they were going, they were likely going to meet by the ruins of the Temple of the Three. 'Strangely fitting.' he thought. He did have a lot of fond memories of his sisters in that place.

_Celestia, Celestia_

_Grand Princess of the Sun_

_Light of Equestria_

_Blazing Noble Flame_

_Under your reign we prosper_

_By your vision we set forth_

_Radiant Celestia, your subjects pray_

_For your guidance_

_The fervent chants filled the main chamber of The Temple of the Three as they always did every month. It was a custom that produced some rather mixed reactions among Terrato and his siblings. Celestia stood at the center of a raised platform, surrounded by well over a thousand ponies and that was only counting the ones inside the building. The Temple of the Three was a massive open building of white marble and gold. Its domed roof allowed sunlight to illuminate the central platform through an enormous opening at its center that could be closed if necessary. Outside the temple were even more ponies coming from various settlements for this occasion._

_"They always start with big sister's part," Luna said quietly to her brother. Standing behind and to the right of Celestia, she watched the gathered mass of ponies with a hint of disappointment._

_"As they should," Terrato said with a grin. As he stood parallel to his younger sister, he pointed his horn at the foremost pony who knelt before Celestia. The unicorn stallion was clothed in bright gold and white robes. With his golden mane and his white coat to match, he looked like a small shrine to Celestia all on his own. "I like that one over there. Solar was it? He's Celestia's biggest worshipper that one."_

_"Second biggest," Luna muttered._

_Teratto, Teratto_

_Grand Prince of the Earth_

_Defender of Equestria_

_Unyielding Gray Sentinel_

_At your charge we rise_

_At your neigh we rally_

_Mighty Teratto, your subjects pray_

_For your protection_

_Terrato didn't care much for his section. These ponies didn't need to pray or sing to him, just Celestia. He came with the set so to speak._

_Luna, Luna_

_Grand Princess of the Moon_

_Watcher of Equestria_

_Gentle Comforting Darkness_

_Under your stars we rest_

_In your shadow we shelter_

_Sublime Luna, your subjects pray_

_For your compassion_

_Terrato nudged Luna with a wing. "Your section's rhythm is a little off," he said jokingly. "Maybe we should add a syllable to your name. How about Lunalis?"_

_"Your section's rhythm is off too, big brother," Luna retorted. "Maybe you should be called Grand Princess of the Earth to fix it."_

_"Hush, you two," Celestia whispered to them. "You're making them nervous with all your small talk."_

_Terrato watched quietly as Celestia raised her horn as a blessing for all the ponies that had gathered. He noted that she still looked a little awkwardly uncomfortable with all the adulation she was receiving. Perhaps Solar had been a little too zealous with this ceremony. The construction of the temple was his grand plan, one that Terrato wholeheartedly supported by furnishing all the necessary materials. He could have built it too, but these ponies should have a great part in it so he let them handle the rest. The fancy white and gold robes, the elaborate rituals, the ceremonial tools, the various holidays...though Terrato believed that Celestia deserved all of it for choosing to help these mortals over returning to the Eternal Herd, even he had to think that she might find it all too much._

_Solar rose and stood on his hind legs. With his forelegs outstretched, he cried out in a loud voice. "Praise the sun!" Two ponies joined him and did the same, yelling "Praise the earth!" and "Praise the moon!" in succession. Terrato snorted, then smiled just to avoid laughing. Luna had to put a hoof to her mouth and turn away while her shoulders quivered._

The memory receded as Terrato approached his estimated meeting point. Nothing was left of The Temple of the Three now save for a few broken columns to serve as gravestones for the prospect of ruling Equestria side-by-side with his sisters. There used to be vast settlements all around the temple at the height of its use. They were gone as well. Nopony wanted to live next to something that reminded them that Celestia and Luna lived in the Heartland while they remained out here. Instead of prosperous towns and a majestic temple, there was only a vast field of whiteness. He was remembered Luna, his little sister who still believed in what The Temple of the Three signified. He sometimes wished that he was that naïve.

Just as he expected, he saw Celestia approaching. She was a single white dot against the dark gray skies, surrounded by brightly glowing dots that were her new "protectors". He snorted and flew towards them directly. The Equi Ignei didn't frighten him. They didn't even worry him. What he felt for the twelve blazing shapes that followed his sister was contempt. 'These are things she relies on to protect her now?' he sneered inwardly. It was an insult. Celestia was insulting him to his face by having these things by her side.

They closed the distance between each other easily enough. They were about thirty feet or so apart when they stopped. For a brief moment, Terrato was breathless. He hadn't seen his sister in the flesh for more than a thousand years. She still had that regal air and that piercing stare. But those were things he could observe through a magical image. Up close, he could still feel that radiant presence that no image could duplicate.

This was no time to think fondly of Celestia however. Terrato quickly found himself surrounded by the Equi Ignei. There was nothing calm or friendly from the presence that Celestia herself radiated. She stared at him angrily. During any other time, he would have been hurt by this, but this was an improvement compared to the dejected mess he had last talked to when FangBreaker fell. He didn't even mind that he had to be in danger just to see that improvement.

"Terrato," Celestia said.

"I'm glad you still remember who I am, dearest sister," Terrato said with a wry smile. "Here I was thinking that you've forgotten even that."

"How can I forget after what you've done?"

Terrato's voice lowered. "I sent Luna back when she came here looking for a fight. I did everything I can to protect your rebellious little student. Why do you sound like I-!"

"You sent your…your creatures to murder my ponies and steal the Elements of Harmony!"

Celestia's accusing tone cut through Terrato with more deeply than Arugek's claws. "What?" he asked, his eyes widening. "I've done no such thing!" He paused for a moment and remembered the report he heard about Black Rose kidnapping a couple of squads from Special Operations. "Black Rose…" he whispered.

"You've turned Luna against me! You've forced Twilight and her friends into your Legion! Now, you've come to attack me!"

"You entered my realm!" Terrato retorted. "Not the other way around! Twilight Sparkle and her friends joined the Legion, your Legion, of their own free will. And Luna…" He paused and almost smiled. Just some weeks ago, he would have never imagined himself saying this. "…Luna has done nothing but try to help both of us. What did you do to her? Did you hurt her?"

"She hurt herself trying to run. Are you also going to tell me that somepony called Black Rose sent those creatures and not you?"

"Stop calling them _creatures_!" Terrato roared. "They're _ponies_! Use their damn proper name!"

The Equi Ignei flared at the outburst and edged closer, tightening the circle around Terrato. Celestia looked shocked at the sudden intensity from him. He instinctively lowered his voice and remembered why he came here. "Celestia," he said. "I didn't come here to attack you. I came here to ask you to bring down that barrier."

"You know why I can't do that!"

"No. I don't. I used to think that I do, but not now. When you proposed to create the barrier, you told me that we needed to preserve the 'identity' of our subjects. That they were creatures of harmony: of honesty, loyalty, generosity, joy, kindness and magic, but fighting wars would somehow destroy all of that."

Terrato glanced behind him, towards the direction of Bastion City where legionnaires, "his" ponies, were fighting to defend their homes. A thousand years was too long a time for him to remain aloof from the ponies he was charged with. To see them take in the chosen, to fight side-by-side with ponies of Celestia's realm…he had been thinking so much of the division lately. "But you're wrong," he continued. "Yes, I've seen ponies ruined by the carnage they've had to endure, but, far more often, I've seen everything that we believe that these mortals should be arise from their struggles. Every day they face the harsh truth of their existence bravely. Thrown into battle, they draw strength from their loyalty to each other. Faced with cruelty and the prospect of death at every turn, they value moments of joy and acts of kindness more. When they are tested to their limits, the bonds of friendship, that they have only grow stronger. So I'll say it again, Celestia. You were wrong and I was wrong for believing you. There is no repairing the damage that our mistake has caused, but we can end this. Bring down the barrier." He paused, trying to gauge Celestia's reaction. "Fight by my side and let our little ponies work together."

Then they were both silent. All Terrato could hear was the steady blowing of the wind around them and the gentle flapping of their wings. Celestia stared at him as if he had grown a second head. Then she looked away, her face twisting with emotion. It finally dawned on him how tired and ragged she looked. He fought back an urge to fly towards her and offer his support, knowing that if he advanced so much as an inch from where he was, the Equi Ignei would attack.

"I don't believe you," Celestia answered softly.

Terrato could barely hear the words and, when they reached him, he could only stare in shock. A shock that was quickly replaced by frustration. "Celestia-!"

"How can you say such lies to my face when I've seen the sort of murderers that you reign over in these lands?" Celestia went on. "I will not listen to another word of this. Surrender, Terrato, let Twilight and her friends return with me to the Heartland and accept your punishment."

Terrato recoiled at the reply. The imperious tone cut at him more than anything. They sounded like orders. They made everything that she ever said to him since the division sound like orders. "Who will you expect to fight off Fenrir's wolven, Celestia?" he asked. He didn't bother to hide the resentment anymore. "Luna? You?" He backed away slightly as the Equi Ignei tightened the ring of living fire around him.

"I will find a way."

"You'll find a way to push everything you hold dear even farther!"

The moment the words left his mouth, Terrato winced. He desperately wished he could pluck them from the air and take them back before they reached Celestia, but it was too late. He may as well had formed a spear of jagged iron and hurled it at her. It would have bitten less deeply and hurt less badly. Celestia's mouth hung open and she started to shake violently. He opened his mouth to apologize. To beg for forgiveness if he had to.

"Terrato!"

Celestia flew past the Equi Ignei at blazing speeds and slammed into Terrato, nearly impaling him with her horn if he hadn't twisted at the last moment. Her charge drove him from the sky and knocked the air out of his lungs. Before he could draw in another breath, the snow-covered ground was hurriedly rising to meet him. Still charging on, Celestia flapped her wings harder to speed up his fall.

'Why?' The thoughts flashed quickly in Terrato's mind. 'All I wanted was to make you happy. Why do I drive you away with each attempt?'

The two of them struck the ground where the ruins of the Temple of the Three were. With a thunderous boom that sent snow, stone and soil flying up everywhere, the last remains of the temple shattered. A cloud of white and brown obscured them from the Equi Ignei following from behind. As soon as the two struck the ground, Celestia's eyes widened as she realized her mistake. She rose to her hooves quickly and beat her wings to regain some altitude, but it was too late. Terrato held on to her with his forelegs. Now, he was also quivering with anger. "You foal," he growled. "You've committed the seventh rebellion and you've decided to bring this fight to my element." His horn glowed and his magic set to work. The ground beneath them transformed from icy, hard packed earth into a morass of mud and loose stones. The two of them sank into the resulting mess with Celestia trying to push Terrato away while he held on tightly. Once they were completely submerged, Terrato struck his sister with a dimensional anchor, then let go. He swam through the earth as easily as if he were flying through open air, leaving her to flail about furiously. He emerged from the ground at a good distance from where she was and cast another spell. The mud transformed into solid stone.

'That should hold her for a bit of time,' Terrato thought. He shifted his attention to the twelve flaming shapes that were streaking towards him. He continued to fly close to the ground where he could manipulate his element with ease. He doubted that a mere entrapping spell could hold Celestia for long, but she was tired before she even started the fight and she was far too angry. He was the one whose fighting style worked well with bursts of rage. For Celestia, an excess of emotion only ruined her graceful, insightful technique.

The first of the Equi Ignei flew towards him in a torrent of white-hot flames. His horn glowed once more and the ground opened up beneath it. Jagged shards of various gemstones, each one about a foot long, flew from the opening and struck it repeatedly. A pony of flesh and blood would have been sliced to ribbons, but his foe simply discorporated from the quick assault, buying Terrato just about a minute before it reformed and attacked again. Two more came from behind the first one only to run right into a wall of stone he raised. When they tried fly over the obstacle, he raised it faster, then encased them in a dome of stone. With a flourish, he transformed the stone into diamond, making it difficult even for otherworldly flames to burn through.

Before Terrato could cast another spell, however, another of the Equi Ignei blazed towards him from the side. He only had enough time to dodge. The flames barely touched his body, but the heat was intense. He could feel his coat and the skin beneath it char. Furious, he slammed it with a wave of raw telekinesis, pushing it to the ground and crushing it so that it discorporated.

The other Equi Ignei flew after Terrato, forcing him to keep flying and raising obstacles from the ground. His mind worked on three levels now. The first was to keep the Equi Ignei from burning him to a crisp while trapping and slowing them down. The second was to keep track of the Equi Ignei that had simply discorporated as well as his estimated time for Celestia to break out of her stone prison. A third one simply wondered what he was supposed to accomplish in this situation. As of right now, he was simply defending himself. Was he going to defeat Celestia, knock her out,then go on to destroy her barrier? That was unlikely, he was barely keeping the Equi Ignei from overwhelming him, then he would have to contend with his enraged sister once she broke free.

'Which should be any time now,' Terrato thought. Cracks formed by the spot he had trapped Celestia and brilliant rays of light escaped from them. With a mighty explosion, the stone prison broke open and Celestia flew out of the resulting hole. The time she spent trapped worried Terrato more than seeing her escape and become a threat again. She took far too long and it looked like the effort sapped more strength from her than he anticipated.

Two of the Equi Ignei took advantage of his temporary distraction and flew towards him. He cursed at the persistent concern he felt towards who should be his opponent and beat his wings furiously. One of them brushed against a foreleg, severely burning it. Despite the horrendous pain, he glanced at the injury with an annoyed grunt and refocused his attention on Celestia. She had raised a foreleg, her magic surrounding her in a glorious nimbus that made her appear like a small sun. A shaft of pure, golden sunlight materialized by her raised hoof, growing in size until it was around ten feet in length. With a cry, she hurled it at him like a spear, an enormous, blazing spear of light and heat. In response, he tore great chunks of earth from around him and formed a gigantic shield of stone to block the attack.

There was no impact against the shield however. To Terrato's admiration, there was a flash of light, then hundreds of smaller bolts of sunlight flew around his shield and homed in on him. 'Brilliantly controlled,' he thought. He shattered his shield into smaller, equally many pieces, then surrounded himself, blocking bolt after bolt with precise placement. Before he could even breathe a quick exhale in relief, a second enormous bolt of sunlight was already flying towards him. In response, he simply flew downward and plunged into the ground as if he had dived into a lake.

Still in the air, Celestia looked around and increased her altitude. Terrato watched her from beneath, his sight able to penetrate the soil and ice with ease. She shattered the cages he had formed around some of the Equi Ignei and gathered them around her. With her guardians by her side, she unleashed her magic. Her horn burst with hundreds of motes of sunlight that streamed down on the snow-covered ground, melting the ice and revealing the hard packed earth. Terrato noticed his body's outline glowing, with a grunt, he unleashed his next spell. Above him, Celestia aimed a blast of sunlight at his outline.

The ground directly beneath Celestia burst open and a myriad of chains flew out. Surprised, she cancelled the spell and tried to fly out of the way, but one chain wrapped itself around a hind leg and dragged her down. Several more followed until she was completely entangled in metal. With his sister restrained,Terrato emerged from the ground. "I know the spells you rely on," he said. "You can see where I am, but not necessarily where I lay out my attacks. If you spent more time fighting you'd depend less on detection spells and more on an instinctive sense of danger."

"I am not surprised that you've planned how to fight me," Celestia said. "How often had you envisioned this fight while you planned all of this?"

Terrato had to dodge and weave once again as the Equi Ignei descended on him, leaving him unable to answer his sister's accusation. From how Celestia looked, his plan now was to survive and defend until attrition put the fight more to his favor. As she was the eldest, he naturally assumed that Celestia possessed more raw power than him. But he had centuries of experience compared to her and he started this fight at a fresher state. Once he bought himself more room to breathe and fatigue cooled her temper down a bit, he may be able to talk to her again. There was another explosion and the glowing fragments of the chains he wrapped his sister in flew past him. He braced himself for another fierce attack.

The attack didn't come, however. Before either of them could make a move, there was a flash of black magic between them. Terrato's eyes narrowed. He recognized the color of that magic: Black Rose. Sure enough, his former student materialized before them. The sight of her near complete wings made him recoil painfully. Even the Equi Ignei paused at the sight. They could not harm mortals, but they could attack alicorns. This new arrival seemed…stuck in between.

"So you've called out your allies," Celestia said to Terrato.

Black Rose ignored Celestia and flew over to Terrato. "My prince, you must postpone this fight for now," she said. She raised a horn, conjuring an image of Bastion City. "Bastion City has been breached; the Legion needs your direction." To Terrato's horror, the buildings were on fire and his legionnaires were on the run. What's more, the chosen he had relied on had all collapsed on the ground.

However, the most heart-wrenching sight of all was the sight of Fenrir walking triumphantly within the city. Between his jaws was Luna's unconscious form, his teeth holding her firmly but gently enough so that they did not pierce her coat. Terrato's nostrils flared. "I'm not going to-!"

An anguished cry came from Celestia, much to Terrato's dismay. "Luna! Twilight!" she cried out. Before he could stop her she cast a powerful teleportation spell, likely one that would sap even more of her flagging strength. The Equi Ignei were quick to follow suit.

Terrato turned his anger towards his former apprentice. "You planned this!" he snarled. "Celestia doesn't know you and her fear and anger are clouding her judgment. Otherwise, she would recognize your lies!"

"My prince, all I wanted was to protect you," Black Rose replied. With a look of concern, she approached him and extended her hooves towards his injured foreleg. "You're hurt-!"

Terrato lashed out, smashing his injured foreleg directly into Black Rose's face. There was a violent bang and a flare of black magic as she flew across the plain and bounced several times against the ground before landing still. Despite the force of the blow and the distance she traveled, she stood up with only a trickle of blood flowing from her lower lip. "You're still angry with me," she said in a hurt tone. "Once I have accomplished my goals, that will change. Please be patient for a little while longer, beloved." With that, she disappeared, carried away by the wings of a teleportation spell.

With a snort of rage and frustration, Terrato cast his own teleportation spell. He could only hope that this trip to Bastion City would settle things.


	44. A Desperate Battle

**Upheaval: Breaking Point**

**Chapter 44: A Desperate Battle**

Applejack opened her eyes to find herself propped against the wall of a nearby house. 'What in the-? How'd I get here?' It took her a moment to realize that she was also upside down and her sides were aching badly. She righted herself only to find that she was unable to keep her legs steady. Her vision was still blurry and the distortions caused by the heat and smoke were not helping. 'What happened? How'd I-' She looked ahead of her and got a good idea.

Nightmare Moon stood at the center of the street, the very same street that they were gathered on just some time ago. It was hard to make out the shape of a pony underneath the black smoke and the flames, but Applejack was sure that there was somepony there. The memory of the last few seconds came rushing back. Nightmare Moon had landed before them in a terrific explosion of fire that knocked them flying. She remembered rolling on the ground, feeling the sharp contrast between the bitter cold of King Fenrir's blizzard and the fierce heat of Nightmare Moon's tainted flames. She was lucky enough not to be touched by any actual fire. That was when she hit her head on something and got knocked out. She looked around worriedly, afraid that some of her friends had been badly hurt or even killed by that first attack.

To Applejack's relief, she spotted Twilight still standing before Nightmare Moon. A small globe of crackling purple energy surrounded her. Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy, who had remained close, were huddled inside the globe. She couldn't see the rest of the group. Likely, they were also knocked flying somewhere. Once she felt her legs were stable enough, she rushed back into the fray.

**_"Isn't this a fine sight?"_** Nightmare Moon said. **_"Without the Elements of Harmony, all of you are mere fillies playing soldier! I'm going to enjoy roasting you until the flesh falls off your bones!"_**

"You're a coward," Twilight replied quietly. Her words were almost lost to the still blowing wind and the sounds of fighting. Pinkie and Fluttershy huddled close to her at the mere sight of their enemy.

**_"Oh am I? Big talk from the unicorn who can't even protect all of her friends."_**

"Shut up! I'm not talking to you!"

Applejack paused from her charge when she heard that. Likewise, Pinkie and Fluttershy also looked to Twilight in confusion. Twilight, on the other hoof, focused entirely on her enemy. "I thought you were a fighter, Pyre Valor! We're not done yet! Why are you hiding behind Nightmare Moon?"

For a moment, Applejack noticed Nightmare Moon's flames waver. 'Dunno what she's trying, but it looks like it's working!' she thought.

Although Nightmare Moon's distraction only lasted a second, it was enough for them to regroup. Scarlet Rabbit flew up in a streak of red and fired a bolt at Nightmare Moon. Rainbow Dash burst out of a small pile of rubble and fired one as well. The bolts were still a good distance away when black flames rose up like enormous claws and grabbed them in mid air. When the flames receded, the bolts were gone.

As soon as Nightmare Moon shifted her attention to her aerial attackers, Vanguard Clash galloped from one side with his two-bladed sword in his mouth. With a swing of his neck, he slashed at Nightmare Moon's exposed side. Applejack took this as a signal and galloped from the other side to flank their enemy. As she neared, she leaped towards Nightmare Moon, her front tramplers outstretched.

The mass of black smoke and flame wavered again as Vanguard struck. Nightmare Moon jumped back in time to avoid the two-bladed sword. She spun to dodge Applejack as well, but could not do so completely. A trampler-fitted hoof glanced heavily off her coat. A spark of energy flared as her magical armor took most of the impact. In a rage, she pointed her horn at Applejack, ready to engulf her in a blast of flame.

Applejack recoiled as soon as her hoof struck Nightmare Moon. The heat was intense. For a moment, she feared that her hoof had burst into flame or that her trampler had melted. A quick glance at her foreleg showed her otherwise. She also noticed that she barely even hurt Nightmare Moon. 'Okay, hitting a flaming pony with my legs is a bad idea,' she thought. She saw Nightmare Moon's horn crackle with magic and realized that she wasn't going to be able to jump back. Desperately, she threw her forelegs in front of her as a futile last resort to protect against the blaze.

"Applejack!" Vanguard shouted. He slammed into her in time. The two of them fell to one side as a torrent of flame passed through Vanguard's back. Applejack saw the flames lick his armor. Though it had only been a short while ago since Rarity was talking about how well Nightsteel held against heat, she feared that Nightmare Moon's magical fire might melt it anyway. Fortunately, the black plates held. The wince on Vanguard's face told her that he'd probably be a little red around that spot later.

"Thanks Vanguard," Applejack said from underneath Vanguard. She felt her heart racing. That wasn't the first time she feared for her life, but she still wasn't used to the idea.

"Save it until we're out of danger." Vanguard grunted. He got to his hooves and faced Nightmare Moon. Applejack followed suit in time to see the enormous bolt of lightning, even bigger than the one she brought forth during the spar with Nightcanter, fly from Twilight's horn and straight towards their enemy.

Nightmare Moon countered with her own arc of electricity, one that matched Twilights. The two spells collided with a thunderous explosion. When the blast cleared, there was already a wave of flame about to crash where Twilight was. Pinkie fell to the ground and covered her face in a panic while Fluttershy froze completely at the sight of looming destruction.

The wave crashed into the three of them only to part against Twilight's shield. The magical globe fizzled and disappeared, but it had done its job. Twilight's focus was so intense that she didn't even blink as the torrent of flames parted mere inches from her face. "You two stay behind me," she told her two friends. They nodded wordlessly, afraid that even the slightest hint of a protest from them would anger her.

* * *

><p>Nightmare Moon noticed the intensity with which Twilight Sparkle looked at her. This was a different pony from the one who had so recklessly charged at her back in Everfree. That pony was a scared little filly who reached out to others just to be strong. This one was a driven and powerful mare, one willing to stand and trade spells with her. She examined her surroundings. This fight was not what she expected. These were the Elements of Harmony, the same ponies that united to drive her out of Luna. She had expected them to have become more resilient after joining the Legion and surviving the Barrier Land as well as having learned a few new tricks. She had not expected them to be so…scattered. The light they had emanated during that humiliating day was not there. This was beyond not merely having the physical devices. These ponies were simply not in harmony. The two pegasi likely knew that they were simply serving as distractions. They may as well be mosquitoes flying around her face and buzzing in her ears. The two standing behind Twilight Sparkle were negligible.<p>

Then there were the two earth ponies who had flanked and attacked her earlier. Both were dangerous in their own way. The stallion was Vanguard Clash, her host's foalhood friend. Pyre Valor had previously "killed" him, but was now having problems just facing him. This dissonance between her and Nightmare Moon, combined with her ridiculously excessive hatred of Twilight Sparkle was a problem. As for the mare, she emanated a different sort of light, one that only Nightmare Moon noticed. Though it was faint, that light was familiar. A hateful light from a place she had abandoned a long time ago. If these ponies had so much as a sliver of a chance against her, that chance would be anchored in that light. Finally, there was the other unicorn and the baby dragon who have yet to-

Nightmare Moon cried out as a sharp pain pierced both her train of thought and her flank. At that moment, Twilight Sparkle unleashed a swarm of purple energy bolts, each one no bigger than a hoof-held rock. The bolts wheeled about and surrounded her, pausing for a moment as if they were a living cloud of creatures, then diving in altogether.

At the last moment, at that one pause before the energy bolts descended, Pyre Valor's fighting instincts kicked in, something that Nightmare Moon took advantage of. Sure enough, Twilight Sparkle fired a thin ray of light from her horn. Nightmare Moon recognized a dimensional anchor. Twilight Sparkle had purposely picked a spectacularly flashy spell as a distraction. The dimensional anchor would have connected and there would have been no dodging that swarm. Nightmare Moon easily deflected the spell and teleported with the energy bolts mere inches from connecting. A terrific explosion rocked the area where she was previously standing. Twilight Sparkle's look of frustration put a smile on Nightmare Moon's face as she reappeared behind the unicorn. Even Pyre Valor felt a brief satisfaction at foiling the offense. The two cowering ponies yelped and moved to keep Twilight Sparkle between them and Nightmare Moon.

Temporarily safe, Nightmare Moon focused on what had struck her. She pulled out what seemed to be a piece of metal with her telekinesis and tossed it aside. A dagger? How could something so mundane have struck her? Three more flew at her in rapid succession. With the element of surprise gone, she dodged them with ease. She looked around, trying to ascertain their source. She noticed a white glow of magical energy surround the blades and pull them through the air. Following their path, she found their source. The white unicorn, the one that she had dismissed earlier, had somehow made a successful attack. She focused on this new threat, recognizing the white unicorn as the bearer of the Element of Generosity. The amount of magical energy from this one was laughably weak, yet the blade had somehow pierced her defensive magic.

It was then that Nightmare Moon noticed a strange twinkling by the white unicorn. A point of light, likely no bigger than a coin, was shining through her modified Legion mage-coat. She noticed that the same light thinly covered the blades. The light was not like the one that emanated from the orange-coated earth pony. Far from it. This light had an ominous glow to it. She recognized the aura of alicorn magic, but this was not from an alicorn she recognized. Odd as she knew all three who were in this world. Nevertheless, the fact that it was from an alicorn was enough reason to possess the power to pierce her shield.

Nightmare Moon realized that she was in more danger than she had first anticipated. It was true that these ponies were not in harmony, and had no chance in driving her out of Pyre Valor's body. However, there were individual sources of danger she hadn't expected. Toying with these ponies was now out of the question. She stomped with both her forelegs, causing a great torrent of blackened flame towards the white unicorn. Those blades combined with that strange light were dangerous weapons, but they were useless as defenses. Sure enough, at the sight of the flames heading towards her, the white unicorn gasped, then froze in panic.

"Rarity!" somepony cried out. A small figure jumped in front of the flames. Nightmare Moon noticed the purple scales even at a distance. A hatchling of a dragon had somehow found its way to the north and was helping what its kind considered passable snacks. The hatchling exhaled a gout of green dragon fire the size of which was impressive for one so small. The dragonflame momentarily pushed back the black flames. In that moment, the sky blue pegasus swooped and knocked the white unicorn out of the way. That space quickly passed and the black flame completely overwhelmed the green one. The hatchling cried out as the flames engulfed it. When they died down, it was flat on its back and unconscious. To Nightmare Moon's irritation, but not surprise, it was still alive.

"Spike!" Rarity, as Nightmare Moon heard her name, cried out. She ran towards her fallen ally. The yellow pegasus cowering behind Twilight Sparkle flew towards the hatchling, ignoring the flames that she was shrinking from just a moment ago. Both ponies looked relieved for about a few seconds when they noticed that the hatchling was still alive. That relief turned into fury for Rarity and the blades floating above her head began to spin swiftly. Nightmare Moon focused her telekinesis on the blades, trying to wrench control over them from Rarity. With the white unicorn's low magical presence, it shouldn't be a problem. Instead, she found herself unable to even slow the spinning. The blades arced up and spread out so that they flew towards her from different directions. Realizing that there was no stopping those blades, Nightmare Moon focused on taking down their controller. She was also aware of the two earth ponies charging at her again, having found their opportunity, and Twilight Sparkle charging up another spell.

**_"Enough! Your attacks are an insult!"_**

A mass of shadow burst from Nightmare Moon, spreading out in all directions like a gigantic web. It wasn't fire this time. The shadows engulfed everypony nearby, lifting them off their hooves and trapping them in place. Twilight's spell casting halted and Rarity's blades became trapped in the web. The two pegasi were also snared and dragged to the ground.

**_"Now that you're all sitting still, it's time to burn!"_** Nightmare Moon's horn flashed as she prepared to ignite the shadow strands.

The shadow strands did ignite, but it wasn't Nightmare Moon's tainted flame that burned through it, but a brilliant, silvery flame. The others fell to the ground and began to get the last of the shadow-stuff off their bodies. Nightmare Moon recognized alicorn magic. This time, she was all too familiar with the source. She turned her attention to Princess Luna, who looked as if she could barely even stand.

**_"You can barely keep away Fenrir's presence away and you're finding strength to attack me? You've come far from the whining filly who agreed so easily to a merging."_**

"Be quiet!" Luna retorted. "I was sick of your voice the first year we were stuck in the moon!" When she saw Nightmare Moon focus on her, she could only smile wryly. "Are you going to burn me, Nightmare Moon?" she asked. "'Your' king won't appreciate getting to his 'bride' only to find her a little crispy!"

**_"I don't have to. You'll keel over without any help from me."_** Nightmare Moon concentrated on another spell, ignoring the flagging Luna. The mighty Princess of the Night who once matched Princess Celestia spell for spell in a grand duel for Equestria's throne was reduced to a crumbling figurehead in a backwater city at Equestria's fringes. Luna was a failure on all fronts and a failure didn't deserve any attention. As she expected, the alicorn fell to one knee while breathing heavily.

The other ponies had just recovered from her last spell and Nightmare Moon needed to keep them off-balance. Strands of shadow poured out of her horn like a hundred slender tentacles wreathed in dark flame. They writhed and snaked their way towards the ponies surrounding her, cutting off escape routes and threatening to ensnare each one in their burning coils.

* * *

><p>Spells continued to race through Twilight Sparkle's mind as she desperately dodged the black tentacles. She tried to dispel them as they came at her, but, each time she cast the spell, only one strand faded into nothing. She was going to tire herself just stopping this attack.<p>

"Twilight, help!" Pinkie Pie cried out as she ducked one tentacle, then jumped over another one that tried to entangle her legs. Twilight concentrated and both tentacles faded away. She needed a spell to subdue these things in one fell swoop. Failing that, she needed to bring down Nightmare Moon with her next spell before she and all her friends burned to a crisp. A frost spell came to mind. Perhaps a big enough cone of pure cold would freeze all these tentacles and cause them to snap like twigs. She was about to concentrate on the spell when a trio of the tentacles reached out for her.

"Twilight!" This time it was Vanguard Clash who called out. He rushed towards her, then jumped on the tentacles, crushing them with his hooves. He swung his neck about, slicing up more of the flailing tendrils that threatened to grab him. One of them reared up and struck him like a whip across the back, but his barding held true.

"Just in time, Vanguard!" Twilight said. "Keep those things off me while I freeze them!"

"Nevermind that," Vanguard replied. He reared up and crushed more of the writhing things. "The rest of us will manage. Did you learn some spells that enhanced physical prowess?"

"A few," Twilight said. She didn't want to admit that she didn't think they were of as much use as the others. Wading into combat was not something she planned on.

"Good. Stack every one you know on Rarity over there."

"Rarity?" Twilight was incredulous. "Why Rarity?"

"Haven't you noticed?" Vanguard ducked another whipping attack. "She's the only one whose attack has gotten through!"

Twilight glanced over to where Rarity was. Applejack was already over there to protect the other unicorn. Sure enough, there were a lot of black tentacles concentrated on Rarity. Nightmare Moon was going after the one pony who had cut through her defenses. "Boost her with some magical support while the rest of us find a way to get her an opening," Vanguard said. "Until something else comes up, she's our best chance!"

Twilight watched as four glowing blades whirled around Rarity, slicing up tentacles with ease. With Applejack guarding her back, even a swarm of the things could not get at her. Past them, Fluttershy was tending to an injured Spike. Twilight noticed the wound on Nightmare Moon's flank. The irony was not lost on her nor did she miss the twinge of envy. Despite so many hours of study and training on her part, it was Rarity who had successfully made an attack. Rarity, who had failed Mage Captain Owlsight's aptitude test, was their best chance at the moment. "I'm on it," she answered. She galloped past the tentacles with Vanguard clearing the way and Pinkie Pie right behind her.

* * *

><p>With Twilight on her way, Vanguard concentrated on his next task: working with the rest of his new squad to create an opening. Rarity's mage blades were difficult to keep track of and she handled them with graceful ease. She could also project them from a good distance meaning that there was no need to get her that close. What he needed was for Nightmare Moon to waver again. To do that, he fell back to what Twilight had accomplished earlier. He gestured towards Scarlet and Rainbow, urging them to keep firing at Nightmare Moon. Despite having to fly about frantically just to keep from being tangled up and dragged to the ground, they did their best to comply.<p>

With that, Vanguard Clash charged headlong into the mass of tentacles and towards Nightmare Moon. Several of the shadowy strands struck him while more wrapped around his torso. Nevertheless, he charged on. "Is this all you've been reduced to, Pyre Valor?" he shouted. "Hiding behind a cloud of smoke while chosen do your fighting for you?"

That struck a nerve. Vanguard didn't need to see if the flames bathing Nightmare Moon wavered. He didn't need to hear the shadowy being struggle against a personality far more fiery than anything a spell could conjure. In all the time he had spent with Pyre Valor, he had an instinctive awareness of whether something would set her off or not. This much he could expect of his knowledge of her, even if her betrayal had caught him off-guard. He leaped forward, gathering as much of the fiery tentacles in his forelegs before crashing to the ground. The flames hurt him, but he ignored the pain. He was getting used to the fire at this point. "Now, Rarity!" he shouted.

Nightmare Moon had aimed a blast of flame at Vanguard Clash, but she changed her target at the last moment. With Pyre Valor acting up again, her aim faltered as did her control over the tentacles. The torrent of flame washed over Rarity, engulfing her completely. To everypony's surprise, Rarity leaped through the flames without so much as a slightly singed coat. An aura of purple magic surrounded her while her blades spun towards Nightmare Moon, their formation making them resemble an enormous spinning disc. Nightmare Moon was about to cast a teleportation spell, but another spell hit her, rooting her to the spot. **_"No!" _**she shouted. As Vanguard had hoped, keeping Pyre Valor's rage in check and watching out for the enchanted blades left Nightmare Moon too distracted to notice the thin ray shoot from Twilight Sparkle until it was too late. With the dimensional anchor in place, she was forced to simply jumping aside. The disc cut against her side deeply and it was Pyre Valor's blood that splattered against the snowy pavement. **_"Miserable wretch!"_**

The number of shadowy strands doubled, turning into a forest of writhing blackness that whipped about in a frenzy. A mass of them wrapped around Vanguard, lifting him off his hooves, then violently slamming into the ground. More chased after Rarity, but she sprinted past them with ease while her blades flew back to her, slicing more of them apart.

* * *

><p>"Vanguard!" Twilight Sparkle cried out. She rushed towards him, wincing when she heard the violent bang of metal striking pavement. It wasn't just her. Applejack was also galloping as fast as she could.<p>

Nightmare Moon slammed the stallion into the pavement again. His head struck stone on her third slam, then his legs went limp. His two-bladed sword clattered on the ground.

Seeing Vanguard get knocked out and about to be slammed into the pavement for a fourth time caused something to snap inside Twilight. She pointed her horn at the tentacles and a blast of wind even colder than the blizzard around them struck the writhing mass. The flaming strands went out, then froze solid before shattering. She and Applejack got to the fallen stallion just as more tentacles snaked towards them, cutting off any escape route.

"Some really flashy magic's good right about now, Twi," Applejack said as she stomped on one tentacle that got too close. Portions of her coat were already singed from contact with Nightmare Moon's flames and she was panting in exertion.

Twilight thought so too. However, she was breathing hard and she had already expended a lot of her strength just fending off Nightmare Moon's attacks and protecting Rarity. Not only that, the dimensional anchor wasn't going to last long unless she maintained it. The cold was beginning to pick up and some of the fear she felt from Fenrir's aura was returning. She glanced at her mentor's younger sister. Luna had fallen to her knees and looked ready to faint. Without her presence, Fenrir's blizzard would overwhelm the entire city. 'There must be something we can do!' she thought desperately. 'At this rate, the city will fall!'

Twilight cast about her mind. The black tentacles were all over the place now and they were closing in fast. There was only room for one more spell, one that she was going to have to put all her strength into. An enormous shadow fell across her in the middle of her spell casting. When she looked up, she saw that a great mass of the shadowy strands had coiled together to form a single massive tentacle about to crash into them.

"Twilight!" Applejack shouted.

There was no time to cast a spell, Twilight shut her eyes tightly as the thing descended on them. "Darn it! Not again! I am not letting my friends get hurt again!" she heard Applejack cry out. She braced herself for a crushing impact followed by death. Seconds passed and she was still waiting. That was when she heard the loud thud of something blunt striking the ground. She opened her eyes and, to her surprise, the three of them were unhurt. Vanguard was beginning to stir, but it was Applejack that held Twilight's attention. The earth pony had reared up with her forelegs extended in some desperate attempt to catch the massive tentacle. Now, she was looking above her incredulously. "Applejack, what happened?" Twilight asked. What did you do?"

"I…I dunno! " Applejack replied. "I thought we were about to be squished, but it just…it just bounced off something!" She paused. "Is…is this what the Queen was talking about?"

Twilight squinted. There was something strange about Applejack. Was it just her or was the earth pony…glowing? She rubbed her eyes. The glow was not only actually there, but it seemed to take the shape of an enormous golden disc centered on Applejack and just above them. "Applejack! How did you do that?" Twilight asked as she pointed at the disc.

"Me? I thought you did that!"

The massive tentacle rose again for another strike. This time, several smaller ones followed it. They lashed at the three of them, but each one recoiled as soon as it touched the disc. The massive one fell only to bounce off and crash just a few feet away.

"What's going on?" Vanguard groaned as he rose unsteadily to his feet.

Twilight ignored the stallion for now. She had only one more shot at Pyre Valor. It had occurred to her that the city's continued survival was still unsure even if they drove Nightmare Moon blizzard was getting worse and her heart was hammering in her chest. All around her, past the howling of the wind and the crackle of flames, she heard the sounds of battle. The wolven were getting their scaling ladders up and they were starting to battle the defenders for occupation of the wall. "One more spell for you, Pyre Valor…" she muttered. Her horn glowed bright. Whatever miracle that Applejack had somehow managed had given her this one uninterrupted shot. She aimed the spell straight at the burning, smoking pony at the center of all the tentacles.

In the time she had spent studying combat spells, Twilight had discovered a strange thing when it came to fighting. The more powerful sometimes didn't equal more complicated. Magical energy built up all around her, coalescing into a glowing mass. Her knees started to give way even before she could complete the spell. Summoning the last bit of her strength, she released the energy. A brilliant blast of light, raw magic compressed into a beam with only enough control to tell it where to go, burst from her horn.

In response, Nightmare Moon weaved her shadow strands into a single massive wall of blackness. The beam struck the wall, shaking violently.

From where she was standing, Twilight could see cracks begin to appear and her beam started to seep through them. For a moment, even though she couldn't see Nightmare Moon, Twilight could tell that the being was afraid. For the first time since this fight started, Nightmare Moon feared for her life. The threat wasn't just injury, but destruction. Though the chance was small, it was there and she acknowledged that it was there. Another crack raced through her wall. Twilight could feel Nightmare Moon redouble her efforts in desperation and she did the same. This was her final attack and, should this fail, it would all be over.

As the two of them pit their magic against each other in a tense struggle, a sudden cry from above made Twilight look up.

With a flap of her wings, Rainbow Dash tossed her light crossbow aside and charged head-first into the wall.

The motion was that simple, but the speed was such that Twilight almost thought that Rainbow had cast a teleportation spell. For half a second, she was hovering in the air. By the second half, she was gone, leaving only a streak of prismatic colors. The next thing Twilight noticed was the powerful boom left in the pegasus's wake followed by another one when something other than the giant purple beam struck Nightmare Moon's wall. An explosive riot of bright colors flooded her vision as the mass of blackness protecting Nightmare Moon shattered like glass. "Beautiful!" Scarlet shouted as he laughed hysterically. "That was beautiful!"

The beam went through and met Nightmare Moon head on. Another explosion followed and a great portion of the pavement tore apart. Most of them dodged left and right as bits of rubble accompanied the falling snow. Vanguard Clash and Twilight simply stood next to Applejack as large fragments of stone bounced off the golden disc.

As the smoke and dust cleared, Twilight collapsed on her belly. She opened her eyes weakly only to find that she couldn't move a single muscle. Vanguard and Applejack looked her over. She wasn't concerned about her own well-being for now, however. She fought for consciousness and squinted ahead of her, trying to see how her attack had worked.

To everypony's awe, a figure walked out of the titanic blast. It was a unicorn mare. Her wild, black mane billowed in the blizzard. Her white coat was dingy with soot and dust with several charred patches. She was bleeding from a deep cut to her side. Despite her obviously horrific pain, the unicorn kept her intense stare focused onward. "I will admit this, Twilight Sparkle," she said. Her voice was ragged and came out in pants.

Twilight strained to hear the words. This was Pyre Valor, the unicorn mage she met when she first arrived in the Barrier Lands, not some possessed traitor.

"I will admit that you are strong. Stronger than I would have ever expected. Strong enough for the right to wear that coat." Pyre Valor reared up and struck the ruined pavement with her front hooves. "And it pisses me off even more! How unjust that the Heartland would have such strength, but it's us who have to fight out here!"

Twilight grit her teeth, her own rage beginning to build. Was there no pleasing this mare? Pyre hated her for being weak, now she hated her even more for being strong. It wasn't just that. It that kernel of truth in Pyre's words that made Twilight angry. How much more could she have done if she knew of this place all along? So much time lost. So much strength left unused.

"I want to kill you more than ever, Twilight Sparkle," Pyre growled. A creeping blackness covered her legs and slowly went up to taint the rest of her. "For daring to show me this truth, I will kill you." The blackness overtook her completely and she was Nightmare Moon once more.

**_"Time to end this!"_**

Twilight felt herself wilt. She had given it her best shot and failed. She looked around to see what they still had. Rainbow Dash was face first in a pile of rubble. She had just given it everything she had as well. Rarity was panting and the spells that reinforced her were fading. She had been so focused on keeping off the swarm of tentacles coming at her and her friends that she hadn't had much room for attacking. Vanguard Clash, Applejack, and Scarlet Rabbit were still game, but they were also tired and didn't have much means to hurt a being like Nightmare Moon. More so Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie, both of which were standing next to Spike. The baby dragon was beginning to wake up, but it was unlikely that he had anything more to contribute. Princess Luna was flat on her belly and barely conscious. She still kept her magic up desperately, putting in every single ounce of her strength to give the Legion a fighting chance. 'We've lost.' Twilight thought. 'There's nothing stopping Nightmare Moon now.'

"Twilight!" Spike cried out as he broke free from Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie. He was clutching a bag, the same bag that he had been carrying around for some time now, and fiddling with something inside it. "Twilight, are you okay?" he asked when he got closer.

"Steady now," Vanguard said. He eyed the approaching Nightmare Moon grimly.

"I'm all out, Spike," Twilight said weakly. "Sorry."

"Don't worry, Twilight," Spike said as he pulled out what looked like a black orb from his bag. "I knew this would be helpful!" He held out the orb over Twilight and gazed intently at it.

"Spike what are you-aaah!" Twilight cried out before she could finish. The orb crackled with black electricity which surged through her. Arcs of purple bolts joined with the black ones, surging back and forth between her and the orb.

* * *

><p>"Spike, what did you just do?" Applejack asked worriedly.<p>

"It's a mana battery! It should help her!"

"That cry of pain didn't sound very helped!" Vanguard growled.

Spike could only look on worriedly. Then, as quickly as it had acted up, the orb became dormant. Now, it was slightly glowing with purple light.

Twilight stood up with ease, then put a hoof on Spike's head. "I feel great. Thank you so much, Spike! That was perfect timing!" she said with a gentle smile. Spike breathed a sigh of relief.

Applejack's eyes narrowed. Something was wrong here. Maybe it was that sudden serene smile on Twilight's face or the ominous color of the orb's magic. She just didn't feel as relieved as the dragon next to her. One look at the frown on Vanguard's face told her that he felt the same.

"Something's coming!"

All of them turned towards the source of the high-pitched yell. Pinkie Pie was jumping up and down, her entire body twitching uncontrollably.

"What's she talking about?" Vanguard asked.

"It's her Pinkie Sense!" Applejack replied. "Something's going to happen!"

"Good," Vanguard muttered. "I could have sworn we were all just going to stand still here."

Before Applejack could react, a burst of light shone above them. A beacon of blazing brilliance erupted above Bastion City, warming their bodies and causing the blizzard's winds to fall completely still.

"Enough!"

Applejack recognized the voice. It was a voice she thought she would never hear again. To her awe, Princess Celestia descended in the middle of all the fighting. She looked a little surprised at the sight, but she quickly recovered and brought her regal bearing upon their foe. Applejack also noticed how exhausted the princess looked.

"Begone, Nightmare Moon!" Celestia said sternly. "Stay and it's me you will face in battle!"

Merely looking at the light emanating from Celestia seemed to pain Nightmare Moon. She faded into black smoke and flew away. There was a renewed cry from the walls' defenders and the sounds of battle increased.

"Princess Celestia!" Twilight cried out. She ran towards the princess, her face ecstatic.

The look of exhaustion faded from Celestia's face as she turned towards her faithful student. "Twilight!" she said in relief. The two of them met each other with a joyful embrace. Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Rarity and Spike looked just as happy. Vanguard and Scarlet were already focusing on other matters.

Applejack only felt her unease grow.


	45. Dark Sun Arising

**Upheaval: Breaking Point**

**Chapter 45: Dark Sun Arising**

_"Listen closely, Twocolt. With most of the order captured or dead, I can rely only on you to carry on the order's goals. Can I trust you to do so despite the risk and can you trust me to have Equestria's best interest at heart no matter what?"_

_"Of course, my lady! I can't back down or fail now that so many of the order have sacrificed their lives! Tell me what to do and it's done!"_

As Twocolt made his way through the streets of Bastion City, the gravity of his answer to Lady Bright Flame only now occurred to him. He had abandoned his post in order to do this. As a legionnaire, that proved more difficult than how he had expected it to be. There was the threat of punishment of course. Dereliction of duty was a serious offense in the Legion. But what he feared more was the thought of what would happen to others because of this. His fellow legionnaires could very well die because he wasn't there to do his part.

_"There will come a time when your friend, Applejack, will be called to join her friends and fight away from your platoon. Once this happens, you must make sure that you are nearby and able to observe them. Be brave, Twocolt, you will witness frightening things if you do this. Keep a close eye on Twilight Sparkle and whoever tries to aid her when she falls. One of her friends will produce a black orb and use it. It is of the utmost importance that you get that orb. They will be distracted by this time. When you see it glow purple, knock out whoever has it and get it. After that, escape."_

_"I don't understand, my lady. What is so important about this black orb?"_

_"It is a tool of assassination that Terrato has planted among the chosen. I do not know which, but I know that he has convinced one of them that it is a harmless mana battery. Will you do this, Twocolt?"_

_"I will, my lady."_

Twocolt didn't understand how his mission could possibly affect anything regarding Prince Terrato's plot against Princess Celestia, but he knew quite well that he was only a low ranking stallion within the order. It was only to be expected that he didn't have the knowledge or vision of Lady Bright Flame. He was no leader. He was never going to see what ponies like her saw. But he had his faith and he had his loyalty. He could put these things to good use by trusting in her and doing what he was told.

It wasn't easy looking for a single group of ponies in a city under attack. Earlier, a blizzard had whipped up from out of nowhere, leaving him paralyzed with fear in the bitter cold. It was only later that the blizzard abated slightly so he could move again, albeit with some difficulty. He made his way to the northern gates, where the thick of the fighting was. He had heard that Applejack and the rest of the chosen were formed into a squad of their own and stationed there. A few ponies speculated that they were all recruited into Special Operations under Captain Vanguard Clash.

Regardless of what actually happened, he still needed to find them. He heard several explosions nearby. 'From within the city?' he thought in horror. Despite the danger, he headed towards there. He remembered the sight of Twilight Sparkle's power during her sparring sessions. It could be one of her spells going off as it was quite close to the northern walls.

_"Once you have the orb, retreat to our meeting place."_

_"But, my lady! The rest of the order was caught there!"_

_"The Legion believes that the order has been eradicated completely. With an attack in progress there will be nopony there. I will be waiting anxiously for you in that place. Please, don't let me down."_

Remembering those words spurred Twocolt on despite the horrible cold and the danger he was heading to. Lady Bright Flame was waiting for him. If he failed or ran away now, she would be waiting there for who knows how long only to have the dreadful feeling that nopony was coming slowly creep up on her. He would never be able to face her or himself again.

He finally approached the northern walls and what he saw there froze him in his tracks. "You will witness frightening things" was correct. Just past the northern walls was a forest of blackness. The trees had trunks made out of shadow and dark flames for leaves. Battling this field of monstrosities were several ponies. He recognized Applejack and Twilight Sparkle. The two of them were fighting to protect a collapsed pony from the writhing mass. He fought back the urge to jump in and help out especially after seeing Applejack doing her part despite being recently injured. But he couldn't show himself now, he had a job to do. He could only hope that his friend would come out of this battle much better than she did the last one.

Then came that great clash.

In one moment, Twocolt was watching the group slowly be overwhelmed by the mass of tentacles, especially a big one that somehow kept bouncing off something rather than crushing them. It was then that Twilight Sparkle fired off a massive spell so bright that he had to close his eyes. He heard somepony cry out followed by two consecutive explosions. After that was silence.

"Enough!"

A brilliant sunburst dazzled Twocolt further. With a grunt of pain, he shut his eyes at the last moment. When the glare faded, he shook his head and blinked. After that, he simply stared. Above the chaos of all the fighting hovered Princess Celestia herself. Confronted by the sight of the alicorn he had been secretly serving despite the dangers, he momentarily forgot what he was supposed to do. This was a day of reckoning for the traitorous leader of the Equestrian Legion. Princess Celestia wasn't alone as well. Enormous gouts of white flame, each shaped like a winged pony, materialized near her. Finally, things were going to be set right. Sun Gazer had succeeded and, despite the losses, Lady Bright Flame's cause was about to be won.

'Wait. The assassination device! Where is it? I have to get it!' Twocolt looked around frantically. As Lady Bright Flame had predicted, the other ponies were distracted. Finally, he spotted the black orb in the claws of the baby dragon. With everypony looking at the princess, he snuck up on his target. A swift blow to the head and the baby dragon was down. Twocolt made sure that his strike was measured and he had taken his trampler off. He wanted to knock Spike unconscious not beat his skull in. Before the purple glowing orb could roll from Spike's limp fingers, he grabbed it with his teeth and made a dash for it. Just as he thought he was about to make a clean get away, he heard an all too familiar voice call out for him.

"Twocolt! What are you doing?"

Applejack's confused call sent a pang of guilt through Twocolt's chest. He didn't look back lest he catch sight of her expression. He had to do this. The cause was far more important than any personal friendship he made. For Equestria, and for Lady Bright Flame, he would cast aside everything else.

* * *

><p>For Applejack, the mere sight of the reunion Princess Celestia and Twilight was warmth seeping into her body. The cold winds of the Northern Barrier Lands gave way for now. However, it was difficult to fully enjoy the sight. In the back of her mind, she was still worried about what had just happened earlier with Spike and that strange black orb. The others, save for Vanguard Clash, hadn't noticed. She couldn't blame them. Princess Celestia reminded them of home. Seeing that tender hug between teacher and student made it seem that everything was about to become better. Surely, this was the turning point of their fates.<p>

Applejack looked back in time to see Spike fall face first to the ground. Behind him was a barded earth pony. Despite the armor, she easily recognized who it was. "Twocolt, what are you doing?" she asked in alarm. There was no response. Her friend simply grabbed the black orb and ran. The others didn't even seem to notice. She moved to chase after him, to make him explain his strange behavior, and why he wasn't at his post, but she could only take a few half-hearted steps, then look back to Princess Celestia. She couldn't shake the feeling of wrongness in this situation, so she stayed to figure out why. She walked over to Spike, who was waking up…again. "You okay, sport?" she asked.

"Ow…" Spike rubbed his head painfully. "What happened?"

"Uh…somepony hit you from behind and made off with that thing you were holding." Applejack pressed her lips together. She wasn't lying, but even omitting details about the truth made her feel uncomfortable. Still, she didn't want to mention Twocolt to the others until she got to the bottom of this.

"Of all the-!"

Applejack didn't hear the rest of Spike's words. In fact, in the next moment, she didn't hear anything else. A cry of pain from a voice she never expected to hear it from was all she could pay attention to. Her head snapped towards the sound while her heart hammered against her chest. "Princess Celestia?" she murmured. The princess didn't hear her. From the expression on her face, it didn't seem that Princess Celestia heard or saw anything past Twilight Sparkle.

* * *

><p>Celestia's face twisted in pain as she looked down towards her chest. Twilight's hoof was glowing black and had touched right where her heart was. Magic, like a barbed blade of ice, pierced her coat and flesh until her very heart felt cold. "Twilight…" The words caught in her throat. When she tried harder to speak, all that came out was a weak, gasping whisper. "Twilight, why…?"<p>

Twilight Sparkle withdrew her hoof and stepped back. The hoof she had pressed against Celestia's chest was coursing with dark-colored magic which extended from it like an immaterial dagger. White light, the color of Celestia's magic, flowed through the thing like blood. Without her support, Celestia fell forward and collapsed on her knees. "Please rest assured, Princess Celestia, that your student is as faithful to you as she has always been." It was Twilight's lips that moved and her voice that made the sound, but somepony else was speaking. Celestia's eyes widened. "I would even say that her faith is even stronger. She has witnessed your folly, but she has not wavered.

"Who are you?" Celestia asked. She said the words between shallow gasps. The others had galloped over. To their horror, her colorful, flowing mane was slowly transforming into a soft pink. Without the magic that summoned them, the Equi Ignei around them quickly dissipated.

When Vanguard Clash advanced with his two-bladed sword in his mouth, "Twilight Sparkle" shook a hoof at him disapprovingly. "I'm just a guest in this house, Vanguard Clash," she said slyly. "The owner won't appreciate it if she returns and finds it in ruins." Vanguard stopped and glared at her. She turned towards Celestia and gave a slight bow. "I believe we've met already, your highness. I understand that it must be difficult to recognize me like this. My name is Black Rose. Well, a temporary fragment of Black Rose to be precise. A simulacrum, if you recognize the term. No need to panic. In a few minutes, Twilight Sparkle's body will reject me and we will exchange places once more. I will return to the soul jar I gave Spike and she will have her body back. Of course, I will keep this power I've just taken."

At the mention of "soul jar", Applejack glanced behind her.

"Wishing you had chased after him, Applejack? No need to feel guilty. You would have run into the rest of me and I would have had to kill you. Be relieved that you chose wisely and stayed here."

"Celestia!" A thunderous roar caused everypony to flinch as Terrato came flying towards them. He raised a hoof to strike down "Twilight Sparkle", but Celestia raised a hoof to stop him.

"Terrato, you musn't! Twilight is…" Celestia winced in pain as she tried to get up. Her legs wobbled and refused to support her.

Terrato's rage gave way to a tender concern as he gently nudged his eldest sister. "Celestia, are you hurt? What did she do to you?"

"She will live," Black Rose said. As she spoke, the white light that had enveloped her hoof was already spreading to envelop the rest of her. "I've taken everything else, but I left behind enough to let her keep her immortality."

"This was your plan all along." Terrato growled.

"Yes," Black Rose replied. She looked sadly at the two alicorns. "I never wanted to kill Princess Celestia. When you came upon my plans, it was true that they required that I kill her, but I was still refining my methods to avoid that. You always have been so passionate, my prince. I love that, even if it translates to murderous rage at times." Her expression brightened. "From now on, I will be Equestria's sun. It will be a united Equestria that I will shine upon, not this fragmented mess." With that, she turned her gaze upon Celestia. "Why so shocked and sad? You should smile and be happy! I have relieved you of a burden you should have never carried. When I have accomplished all of my plans, I hope that we can all put these terrible proceedings behind us and move on together."

"Why have you done this?" Fluttershy asked. "What did Princess Celestia ever do to you?"

"This is not revenge, Fluttershy. As its bearer, you should recognize kindness when you see it." Black Rose turned her attention to Spike. "Speaking of kindness, you have my utmost gratitude for yours, Spike. This would have failed if you had used it with while Twilight possessed so much as a modicum of power to guard against me, but your timing was simply impeccable. I will remember this day when I ascend to my rightful place." Arcs of black electricity began to course through Black Rose. She smiled and looked at her hoof. "Right on schedule. Now, excuse me, I have a few more things to take care of before this day is done."

There was a flash magical energy and the arcs of black electricity mixed with the white glow before leaving Twilight's body, which fell limply to the ground like a rag doll that had been tossed aside. Twilight's friends surrounded her while Terrato followed the streak of black and white magic with his gaze. He looked as if he was about to follow, but then changed his mind. Instead, he flew over to Luna and lifted her gently to his back with his magic. 'So you've been wearing yourself out while your two siblings made foals of themselves, hm?' he said softly. 'You're starting to make me think that you should have been eldest, Luna.'

"Uh…" somepony groaned.

Terrato's admiration turned into irritation as he noticed Twilight Sparkle, the real one this time, get up.

"What happened?" Twilight asked. She looked around and quickly noticed Celestia's fallen form. "Princess!" she exclaimed. She hurried over in a panic. When she got to Celestia's side, she turned her attention towards her friends. "What happened? Why is she here?" Her eyes narrowed in anger even as the first tears started to drop from her face. "Who did this to her?"

"Twilight, it was…" Applejack hesitated. She looked behind her again, then towards Spike, who had fallen to his knees in shock. She opened her mouth to try again, but she shut it without saying a single word and looked away.

"Are you hurt anywhere, your highness?" Fluttershy asked. She tried to look over Celestia, but couldn't see any sort of wound. Celestia clutched at her chest. The pain was as if she had been stabbed. Fluttershy could only look on helplessly. Celestia tried one more time to stand, but her vision dimmed and blackened completely.

* * *

><p>"Princess Celestia!" Twilight cried out. She looked to Fluttershy desperately. "Do something, Fluttershy! Please!"<p>

"There's nothing the medic can do," Terrato said. "Celestia will live so calm down. In case everypony's forgotten, there's still a battle to deal with."

Enraged, Twilight turned her focus on Terrato. "She's your sister! How can you stand there as if she just slipped and fell?"

Terrato didn't respond to that. The other ponies cringed, fearing that he would lash out at Twilight's words. He didn't. His face was a stony mask and he didn't even look at Twilight when he lifted Celestia with his magic to place her on his back as well. "No more standing around, legionnaire," he finally said. "There's more fighting to be done."

Before Twilight could reply, a burst of light filled the sky above them. They looked around and saw its source, a great pillar of sunlight emerging from somewhere in the city.

"Black Rose blooms once again," Vanguard Clash said softly.

Twilight stomped at the cracked pavement repeatedly with her front hooves as tears continued to flow down her cheeks. "Why?" she sobbed. "We've been fighting so hard, but we can't seem to protect anypony!"

* * *

><p>Twocolt continued to gallop through the city streets, thankful that Applejack had not decided to chase after him. The orb in his mouth felt warm and the magical power within it made him feel uneasy. Eventually, he made it to the order's old meeting place. He felt a twinge of sadness as he burst through the door, remembering that Verdant was no longer around. When he reached the secret chamber, he found Lady Bright Flame waiting there as she had promised. He dropped to his knees and transferred the orb from his mouth to his front hooves to offer it. "My lady, I have it. Just as you asked!" he said proudly.<p>

Bright Flame responded with a smile that Twocolt found utterly radiant. She took the orb and gazed at it lovingly before returning her attention towards him. "Thank you so much, Twocolt. You have done more than your part in saving Equestria for doing this!"

Twocolt felt some blood rush to his face. He couldn't find anything to say to that. Even the questions he had thought of asking dribbled away. He looked at the black orb that she held with her telekinesis. To his surprise, the purple light that surrounded it rose up, then flew away in a bright streak. A second later, a streak of black electricity mixed with white light struck the orb. Whatever the light was, the orb couldn't contain it. It shattered like glass, sending shards flying everywhere. Twocolt raised his forelegs to protect himself, gritting his teeth when a couple of shards bit into his flesh. "Lady Bright Flame!" he called out.

When he lowered his forelegs, Twocolt found Bright Flame completely unharmed and with her eyes shut. Not only that, she was suffused by the white light he had seen just a moment ago. When she opened her eyes, the same white light shone forth from them. "I will not forget this, Twocolt," she said. Her voice reverberated within the chamber and the walls began to crack. The aura of light around her intensified and shot upward, burning through the ceiling completely. Awed and frightened, Twocolt looked up and saw the sky from where he was. "You have done me a great favor and I always remember my debts. I must go for now. There are a few more details for me to take care of."

Twocolt looked on breathlessly as Lady Bright Flame's coat changed from yellow-tinged white to completely black. Graceful, feathered wings sprouted from her back and her mane went from golden to a deep crimson. He didn't understand what was going on. Had Lady Bright Flame transformed into an alicorn? How was that even possible? He said nothing as she flapped her wings and took off, leaving him to stare at the sky as the pillar of light that had illuminated her gently dissipated.

* * *

><p>The battle for Bastion City raged on despite everything that had happened within its walls. With the blizzard completely gone, the city's defenders were now pushing against the wolven. Scaling ladders were unhooked and thrown down. The wolven that had managed to climb up were slowly surrounded, then slain.<p>

This battle proved to be Bastion City's costliest yet. Dead ponies were scattered along the walls and nopony could keep count of the legionnaires who had fallen outside the walls where the wolven tore through them almost instantly. Blood and feathers rained upon pony and wolven alike as pegasi struggled for control of the skies while wolven bolters shot many of them down. Spells rippled through the air followed by explosions and the howls of wolven. Ugly, red splotches covered the fresh fallen snow.

From her vantage point, Black Rose surveyed the battle with a smile. This was the Legion she still loved. No matter how desperate the battle, nopony ran away screaming or cowered in a corner. It was time she rewarded their courage. She didn't miss the sight of the giant wolven standing among the rear lines of the enemy. Fenrir had spotted her. From the shock in his stare, she guessed that he knew what was going to happen next. "You sent Nightmare Moon against the city thinking that her being outside the pact was to your advantage. I admire both your honor and your cunning!" she called to the King of Wolvengard. Her voice, soft as it may be, was carried by the power of the sun. It cut through the clamor of battle as easily as sunlight cut through morning mist. She saw more than a few legionnaires look towards her in surprise and awe. "I too am not part of the pact. Fitting that what you believed was your greatest advantage has become the downfall of your army."

Black Rose raised her hoof. Sunlight gathered around it, transforming into a dazzling orb of golden radiance. With a flash of magic from her horn, the orb exploded so brilliantly that it was as if the gray clouds that covered the sky had parted to let the sun shine through. The spell was more than light though. Hundreds of beams of light arced from the burst and streaked towards the wolven. Wherever one struck, a silent explosion flared up, consuming everything around it in golden flame. Howls and panicked shouts went up as chaos broke out within the wolven army. Siege equipment and supply wagons burst into flames. The wolven hit directly by the explosions simply disappeared, leaving not even traces of ash. Those caught at the periphery fell to the snowy ground, howling in agony while their fur caught fire. "Long live the Legion," she whispered. She flapped her -now true- wings once and let a teleportation spell carry her away. Despite his losses, Fenrir will not break the pact. That much she was sure of.

'Tomorrow will be my first sunrise, beloved. My dawn will herald a new age for Equestria.'

* * *

><p>"Sally forth!" Dreadstep shouted from his command post. He didn't need to. Everypony still capable of putting one hoof in front of the other was rushing to bring the fight to the wolven. The gates swung open and the Legion stormed out with fearsome battle cries and neighs.<p>

"Long live the Legion!"

"Equestria!"

"For our prince!"

Dreadstep glanced at the sky. The pony responsible for this miraculous turn of events was gone. A single spell from the black alicorn decimated Fenrir's forces as if the very sun itself had attacked. The wolven were scattered and disoriented. Many of them had been blinded by the light and the others were so confused that they were lunging at allies. The ponies broke through their ranks as easily as one could crush a few twigs.

With a dolorous chorus of howls, the wolven began to retreat. They were brought down by enraged pursuing ponies while bolts rained upon them with impunity. Everypony understood that each wolven slain meant more time for them to recover. It could very well be centuries before the wolven ever dared to cross their borders again. Victorious cries followed as the ponies eventually broke off pursuit. Even Dreadstep, who always looked to the future with a degree of pessimism, had a grin on his face as he turned towards his officers. The city was saved. This was victory. The others grinned back at him and raised their hooves in exultation.

"We crushed those wolven mongrels!" one pony yelled, tears streaming from his eyes.

"The Legion is invincible!" cried another.

Before he could fully join in on the impromptu celebrations, Dreadstep caught sight of his prince approaching him. On the gray alicorn's back were two unconscious ponies and he was accompanied by Vanguard Clash's temporary squad. The grim look on Prince Terrato's face said it all.

This wasn't a victory yet.


	46. Questions

**Upheaval: Breaking Point**

**Chapter 46: Questions**

Two days had passed since the wolven retreat and the Legion had reacted swiftly to their change of fortune. Supply wagons rolled out as fast as they could be loaded. Repairs on the walls and their equipment were constant. It was their turn to pursue the wolven and make them pay dearly for this invasion. There was no hesitating lest the invaders find the time to regroup. The first step was to retake FangBreaker Fortress, a prospect that many ponies, especially those who survived its fall, relished. The smithies rang loud with activity while medics hustled in the wards. The sky was full of pegasus squads returning or heading out to harass their retreating enemies.

Sitting on a stone throne within the Grand Meeting Hall, Terrato looked out of a window and stared at the morning sun for a while. Even though it was Black Rose's first attempts at raising and lowering the sun, the cycle of day had not missed a single beat, nor had there been any anomalies. He had expected some kind of signature to remind all of Equestria that the sun was under a new pony's control. This show of humility was…unusual. He attributed the lack of mistakes to his former protégé's natural skill and flair. Black Rose took to anything with ease. It also sounded better than Celestia's former duty being ridiculously easy. He heard the double doors to the hall close and focused his attention on those who had gathered.

The effects of the last battle, from the wolven retreat to the inability of the Elements of Harmony to deal with an enemy they had beaten before to Black Rose's ascension, were still settling in. It showed on the faces of everypony that had gathered. He surveyed them slowly, gathering his thoughts before this audience began.

First, there were his two sisters. Luna was still in bandages and trembled with each step she took. Terrato didn't feel too worried for her physical health. Healing was Luna's domain and, once she recovered some of her magical strength, the burns would be trivial. Celestia, on the other hoof, was a different matter. There were no external injuries on his older sister. Not even a mark on where Black Rose had stabbed her with a blade of enervation. Celestia had slept through the past two days with her student remaining by her side the entire time. He made sure that there was food waiting for her when she woke up just earlier this morning, but he hadn't so much as visited her room during the past two days. This morning, both his sisters stood to his right with Luna being the closer one. Celestia looked dazed and lost, her now pink mane limp around her neck. Luna leaned in close to offer support while the other ponies in the hall watched her in concern.

Then there were the bearers of the Elements of Harmony along with Vanguard Clash, Scarlet Rabbit and Spike. Terrato focused first on "the guilty ones" as he thought of them. He actually felt sorry for Spike, who was busy groveling before Celestia. To his mind, no one, pony or otherwise, should bear that much guilt at so young an age. Even though Spike was instrumental for Celestia's loss, he didn't even think of punishing the baby dragon. No corporal punishment could even come near what Spike was experiencing now.

Next to Spike was Legionnaire Rarity. After it was discovered what Spike's "mana battery" had done, she handed over the coin she received from this so called "Bright Flame", who was obviously one of Black Rose's false identities. Terrato recognized the scrying device with a glance. No wonder Black Rose was able to easily coordinate her movements with the chosen. The device had also been magically modified to allow Black Rose to channel some of her power to protect her unwitting spy and make sure that Nightmare Moon didn't get too out of hoof. Like Spike, Rarity was weighed down by guilt due to her role in Black Rose's plan. It may be to a lesser degree, but the enormity of what resulted because of that trickery made "to a lesser degree" truly relative.

The next two were Legionnaires Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie. He hadn't much to say about the two except that they looked completely out of their element, much more so than the other chosen. One look at their subdued faces told him that not every chosen can cope with life out here. He would have sent them home if they weren't needed to complete the Elements of Harmony and if they wouldn't wilt faster without their friends, which he knew they would.

After those two were Legionnaires Applejack and Rainbow Dash. Now, here were two ponies who looked as if they were made of sterner stuff. Rainbow Dash's back and head were covered in bandages, but she bore her injuries with a soldierly indifference that pleased him. Applejack, on the other hoof, was likely his favorite out of the chosen: not as much a stand out like Rainbow Dash and Twilight Sparkle, yet brave and reliable. He always did favor earth ponies. He doubted that he was her favorite royalty though. Her comrade, Twocolt, was still languishing in a dungeon after being interrogated. She had spent the past two days trying to make sure that he didn't end up hanging. He was going to make a decision about that today. He also noticed that her sides were no longer bandaged. It took a mere five days for her to recover from a life-threatening wound. She was either incredibly tenacious, another trait that he admired, or his mother had gifted her with this favor, which still ranked her high in his list.

Captain Vanguard Clash and Scarlet Rabbit looked like the only ponies who were comfortable in the hall, which was odd given that Terrato nearly had Vanguard hanged and Scarlet Rabbit looked far more at home flying about and killing things.

Also in the hall was Commander Dreadstep. The old stallion carried himself with slightly more dignity now, likely because he hadn't lost Bastion City to the wolven despite the strange manner by which it had been spared. There were no guards present. Terrato wanted to limit the number of Barrier Lands ponies that his older sister was exposed to for now. It was also probably a good idea to not let the city know that their princess was among them and had lost most of her power.

Then there was Twilight Sparkle. She hadn't stopped looking worriedly at Celestia. Terrato moved on. What else was there to think or say about Twilight Sparkle?

"Looks like everypony's here," Terrato began. At his words, Spike slinked back to his friends and stood quietly among them. He focused his magic and summoned a large container that should be familiar to the chosen present. Without any preamble, he opened it and lifted the physical manifestations of the Elements of Harmony to their bearers with his magic. He didn't remember these things as gaudy jewelry but he supposed that, after a thousand years, he shouldn't count on anything he remembered about Celestia and the Heartland as staying the same. "Maybe now that you have these, you'd actually be useful as the Elements of Harmony," he said.

Twilight and the others received the elements graciously enough. However, the look on their faces told him that they were going to need more than just these trinkets for the coming battles. To Terrato, the jewelry looked even gaudier now that it was on them. Especially the crown. The thing looked too big and it marked Twilight Sparkle out as surely as painting a sign on her that said "kill me". He considered having the jewelry broken down to the essential part, something he might discuss with his sisters later.

"When did you get them, big brother?" Luna asked.

"I made quick trip to Canterlot yesterday," Terrato explained. "I fetched them, then decided to have a look around the city in secret." His voice lowered in displeasure. "I didn't like what I saw." He turned his focus back on the chosen. "Now, some of you are here on a particular agenda." He shifted his attention to Applejack. "Now's the time to speak up."

Taking that as her cue, Applejack stepped forward and bowed. "Your highness, what's going to happen to Twocolt?" she asked. "Are you going to hang him? He doesn't deserve to be hung!"

Terrato looked to Dreadstep. "Tell me how deep the colt is in," he said. Just yesterday, the Legion caught Twocolt hiding out in the cellar of his family home. They had him for dereliction of duty, but interrogation revealed a more grievous crime.

"He claims that he is part of 'The Order of True Equestrians', your highness," Dreadstep replied. "They're apparently a group dedicated to preserving Princess Celestia's reign and stopping your 'conspiracy' to rule all of Equestria."

Terrato frowned at the report. Dreadstep normally kept his feelings out of work, but the derision was obvious in his tone. "So where is the rest of this oh-so-noble order?" he asked.

"He also claims that Special Operations arrested and executed most of them," Dreadstep replied. "But we have no records of making such arrests."

"Black Rose used them and killed them," Terrato said flatly. "Just like the so-called "Black Rose Rebellion" after she was done with them. She's not going to leave loose ends floating about. The fact that she spared this one means she still has plans for him."

"True, your highness," Dreadstep replied, "but wouldn't she have taken steps to protect him instead of leaving him in our clutches?"

"Maybe she's banking on our mercy," Terrato said darkly. He shifted his gaze back to Applejack. "Maybe that's why she made sure he was friends with somepony who's willing to speak for him."

"I still think he should be spared," Applejack insisted. "He ain't done enough to be hung."

Terrato turned towards Luna. "What do you think of this?" he asked her. "Should I play it safe and kill this colt?"

The question caught Luna by surprised and tongue-tied. Terrato surprised himself as well. He had never asked her for her opinion before. She recovered swiftly and looked glad for this chance. "The boy was deluded, big brother," she replied. "Black Rose used him as she had many of us, but he meant well and she knew it. I don't believe he should die for this."

"I'm not going to have him killed then," Terrato said. "But-" he quickly added before anypony could breathe a sigh of relief. "I'm not giving Black Rose any opportunities to use him any further." He turned towards Dreadstep. "Have him transferred to somewhere he'll be harmless. He can continue to serve Celestia in some small remote outpost. It only follows that he's not to be given any important position and that he is to be kept track of."

"Yes, your highness," Dreadstep replied. Terrato looked around to see if anypony questioned his judgment. Applejack's face was downcast. He assumed that it was because she was likely never going to see her new friend again but he saw traces of relief in there as well.

"Now that that's settled let's move on to what will be happening from now on," Terrato continued. "The Northern Equestrian Legion will continue to pursue the wolven and reclaim FangBreaker Fortress. I want you chosen to stay together and take part in this advance in case Nightmare Moon is still at it. We will operate under the assumption that, while she seems inclined to help the Legion, Black Rose won't be doing any more direct attacks. Reinforcements are still on the way from the Western and Southern Legion. Once FangBreaker has been retaken we will begin our march into Wolvengard."

"Are you saying that we will launch our own offensive against Wolvengard, your highness?" Dreadstep asked. He looked at his prince incredulously.

"Not saying. Ordering," Terrato replied. "You've seen the bodies still smoking outside the city. This is the worst defeat that the wolven have taken in centuries. The Legion will capitalize on this to bring the fight to Fenrir's realm." His voice lowered and his eyes narrowed as he went on. "I will inflict a loss on Fenrir so great that he will be forced to surrender on my terms. The wolven will never be a threat to Equestria once I extract a promise from him."

As Terrato expected, while Dreadstep and Vanguard Clash took to his orders with ease, the rest of the ponies present could not hide their shock.

"But what about Black Rose?" Twilight protested. "We have to bring her down and take back Princess Celestia's power!"

"Is that so?" Terrato asked. "Sounds like you have a plan, Twilight Sparkle. Do you know where Black Rose is, what her plans are, and how she's going to go about them? Do share!"

Twilight fell silent but she didn't take her indignant gaze off Terrato. He responded by matching the stare with a glare of his own. "Make no mistake," he went on. "I will kill Black Rose for what she's done and Celestia's power will be restored, but I am not wasting this opportunity to lessen the number of fronts we are fighting in. I will take steps towards bringing the fight to Black Rose, but the Legion will not sit on its tail while we wait for a chance to find her." He turned his gaze towards Dreadstep. "The barrier to the Heartland has been down since yesterday. Send some troops there to begin a realm-wide draft. Relay my orders to the other Legion commanders. I want an army of chosen reserves ready in six months. They will occupy our walls in the less threatened areas so some veterans can be freed up for the offensive."

Dreadstep saluted in response. "Yes, your highness."

At the mention of the Heartland, Celestia finally snapped out of her miserable state. "What is the meaning of this, Terrato?" she asked. "You are going to force my little ponies into your army?"

"It is a draft, but I hardly think we'll be doing any forcing." Terrato replied. "Once the chosen see that their nation is at war, they'll be clamoring to take up arms. We'll be lucky if we have enough gear to outfit all of them. Wouldn't that be the case, Legionnaire Twilight Sparkle?"

Celestia looked to her student. Hearing the title of "legionnaire" attached to Twilight's name struck her like a blow. Likewise, the sight of her mentor coming to realize that she had joined the Legion did the same for Twilight. The pained admission in Celestia's gaze seemed to make her faithful student wither on the spot. "I…" Twilight replied hesitantly to Terrato's question. "It's true that the ponies of the Heartland should be given a chance to fight for their homes. But forcing them-!"

"Celestia will issue a decree regarding our situation," Terrato said. He turned towards his older sister. "I will leave it to you as to how you will break the news to your little ponies," he told her. He then returned his focus to all of them ponies present. "Black Rose may have stolen Celestia's power, but not her authority. She's certainly not going to be residing in Canterlot anytime soon. The chosen should have no problem fighting for their princess as opposed to fighting for a prince they've never met."

"And what if I refuse to make that decree?" Celestia asked. Her jaw clenched tightly as she leveled a hard stare at Terrato.

"You can make this transition as easy as possible for the Heartland," Terrato replied. "Or you can force me to resort to cruder methods. I'm going to get that army ready with or without your help."

The defiant stare fell apart. "So this is how it is," Celestia said with a hint of resignation. "You give me orders like one of your legionnaires, Terrato. Am I only a princess in name now?"

"You tell me, dearest sister. You say the Legion is 'my army' when it's called "The Equestrian Legion". You tell me just what you're princess of now."

"Big sister, please," Luna told Celestia. She looked at her older sister imploringly. "The Legion needs all the help it can get."

Celestia looked around, first to Luna, then to Twilight, then to the other chosen. Whatever stubborn stance she still had crumbled when she realized that she had nopony's support within the hall. "I will issue the decree," she said. Her tone was barely above a whisper. "All I ask is that you use them in defense of Equestria and not have them take part in your invasion."

Terrato nodded curtly. "Good. You all have your tasks to accomplish," he said. "Leave this hall and get to them." He closed his eyes briefly and let out a sigh as he heard the hoof-steps leaving the hall. When he opened his eyes, however, he found Twilight Sparkle still in the hall. "Did all those explosions yesterday leave you a little hard of hearing, legionnaire?" he asked in exasperation. "I told you to leave this hall!"

"I still have something to say," Twilight said. She still shook when he loomed over, but she no longer looked as if she was going to bolt any second. Replacing that emotion was a sense of resignation that if he was going to be so petty as to kill her for speaking her mind then so be it.

"Don't you always? Gamble with your life too often, Twilight Sparkle, and the odds are going to catch up with you." Terrato paused and looked towards the now shut double doors to the hall. "Why not?" he muttered with a frown. His lapse of attention didn't stop Twilight.

"What do you have against me, your highness? Every time I try to talk, you're always angry. Vanguard said that you don't share in the petty hatreds of your ponies."

"He's right, I don't. I happen to have my own petty hatreds."

With that topic into a dead end, Twilight decided to focus on what she had stayed to say. "I can't believe you! The princess has just lost her power! The barrier that she's been trying to protect for so long has been brought down, but, instead of trying to comfort her, you're ordering her around and putting aside her concerns! How can you care so little for your sister? You're just a bully who cares for nothing other than fighting and killing!"

Twilight spoke loud enough for her words to echo in the empty hall. For a few moments, the two of them didn't say anything while the sound bounced off the walls. She tensed, ready to stand against a roar from him. When he remained silent, she relaxed a little.

"So tell me, Twilight Sparkle, how was your first century?" Terrato asked gently.

"My first what? I haven't-!"

"That's right. You haven't. You don't even have half a century to your name do you? You've been Celestia's student for what? A couple of decades? Less than that?" Terrato's voice rose. "I have fulfilled Celestia's wishes for more than a millennium! Don't you dare tell me that you have even an inkling of what it means to care for another!"

Terrato stomped with both front hooves. A section of the stone floor rose just beneath Twilight, knocking her on her back. Before she could get up, he was standing over her and staring down. "Do you want to know why you piss me off so much? You stand there with your blink of a lifetime and you spout your little principles at me as if you had an idea as to what they could mean! You've seen and lived through nothing, Twilight Sparkle! I should beat you within an inch of your life. Maybe, while you're three-quarters dead, you'll be able to get a view of the Eternal Herd. You'd have a glimpse of what I gave up to stay by Celestia's side. You've spent less than a month in my Legion, what could you have possibly sacrificed for her sake?"

He let her stand and walked back to the throne, turning his back on her. "You want me to explain how I can care so little? You should be the one explaining, scholar. Explain to me how somepony can spend a blink of a life with Celestia and become so important to her that she would risk what she's protected for so long. Explain how that same pony could betray her yet still be so close to her that she would stupidly let this pony close enough to stab her with a knife-shaped void!"

Against the sudden barrage of questions, Twilight didn't even know where to begin. "I…I don't-"

"While you're at it, maybe you can explain how my centuries of unquestioning loyalty can be shoved aside by the accusations of the first random unicorn who stumbles into her court!" Terrato's frown deepened into an angry scowl when Twilight didn't answer. "What's the matter, faithful student?" he roared at her. "Haven't Celestia's lessons prepared you for this test? Give me an answer or I'll break every bone in your body!"

Even Terrato's threat was met only with silence. He raised a hoof and pointed it at the double doors. A wave of force struck them so violently that they shattered into splinters. Their stone frames cracked and a cloud of dust rose from the blast. "Since you don't have an answer, maybe your mentor can help you out," he growled.

The cloud of dust settled and Twilight saw both Princess Celestia and Princess Luna standing just past the door. Luna had raised a shield in time to protect herself and her sister from the blast.

"Standing on stone is not a good way to hide from me, dearest sister," Terrato said. "And I am not surprised that you've forgotten some aspects of my power.

It was Luna who stepped forward to speak up, fearing that if nopony continued to answer, her brother might really turn violent. "Big brother, I know you're upset-"

"Of course you do. You're Luna and you've consistently showed that perceptiveness ever since you first came to me after your timeout." Terrato exhaled loudly and rested his head on a hoof. "Just get out of my sight, all of you."

The three left the hall quietly, leaving him to his thoughts.


	47. Taking Stock

**Upheaval: Breaking Point**

**Chapter 47: Taking Stock**

Though the meeting with Prince Terrato was over, Applejack walked out of the Grand Meeting Hall as uncertain of the future as she was when she walked in. Like Twilight, and probably the rest of her friends, she had expected Prince Terrato to immediately lay out plans to stop Black Rose and get Princess Celestia's power back. When that wasn't the case, she found herself at a loss as to how to feel about him. Princess Celestia was his family and family should come first. For him to set aside getting his sister's power back from this Black Rose was difficult to swallow.

Yet, when Twilight openly protested against the prince's priorities, Applejack couldn't bring herself to join her friend. She considered herself loyal to the princess. She knew that Twilight was even more so, but that didn't make her disloyal. Nevertheless, some part of her held back when Twilight spoke out. Was the difference in their loyalty really that much? She looked towards her other friends. None of them had spoken out either. Perhaps it was simply Terrato's intimidating presence or none of them could match Twilight's devotion.

With their presence as a group no longer required, the rest of them were already splitting up to go back to their duties. Rarity was walking off with Spike on her back. Pinkie Pie was hopping off to the kitchens, and Fluttershy looked about to leave as well. The only exception seemed to be Twilight and that was because Applejack couldn't find her. 'Must have gone off to stay with the princess,' she thought. She had to admire that about Twilight. Banishment, signing up for the Legion, and the loss of her teacher's power didn't faze her loyalty one bit.

Speaking of loyalty, Applejack's gaze focused on a particular pony associated with that Element of Harmony. For the past two days, Rainbow Dash had avoided her entirely. She had always felt that Rainbow Dash's ability to fly gave the pegasus a distinct advantage over her, but it was a rare occasion indeed to be so frustrated by it. This was one such time. Trying to pin down one of Equestria's finest flyers in a busy city was nigh impossible. Seeing a chance to do something about it while all of them were still walking, she decided to change her approach. She walked over to Rainbow Dash who, at the sight of her, was already about to take off. "Hey, RD!" she started. "You were uh…you were pretty awesome during that last fight!"

Rainbow Dash hesitated, something that Applejack took as a good sign. "You think so?" she asked cautiously.

The still-healing gashes around Rainbow's head made it difficult for Applejack to agree, but she forced down her concern like a one-too-many slice of apple pie. "Yeah, without that Sonic Rainboom you smacked Nightmare Moon's wall with, we would have never beaten her!"

The corners of Rainbow's lips twitched briefly. Before Applejack could say another word however, Scarlet's voice threatened to halt the small bit of progress she was making.

"Hey, Rainbow! You up for tonight? Today's payday and we can go for the really good stuff!"

Applejack gritted her teeth as she felt Rainbow start to pull away. "Wait just a goll-darn-!"

"No drinking for you tonight, Scarlet, I've got orders for you. Let's go."

To hear Vanguard stop what would have been another drinking session between the two was sheer music to Applejack's ears.

"But, Captain, it's payday! We're not under siege anymore and Storm Brew's got a fresh batch of 'Good Stuff' lined up!"

"I said 'orders', Scarlet, not 'polite requests'. Let's go."

As the two stallions were about to leave, Vanguard gave Applejack a quick glance and a nod: his way for apologizing for Scarlet and helping her out, she guessed. She replied with a smile and a nod of her own as he passed by her, then turned her attention back to Rainbow. "Right, like I was…why are you looking at me like that, Rainbow?"

"I saw that," Rainbow remarked with a sly smile. It was the first smile that Applejack had seen from her friend in days and it was the sort that she didn't really like. While the two of them were talking again, she knew that Rainbow was doing her best to steer the conversation into other things.

"Saw what?"

"You know what I'm talking about!"

When Applejack stared at her blankly in response, Rainbow's amusement turned into puzzlement. "You like Vanguard, don't you?" she asked.

"Of course I like Vanguard. What kind of a silly question is that?"

"I mean you really, really like him!"

Another blank response had Rainbow putting a hoof to her face. "Forget it. There's no point poking you if you won't squirm."

"You keep your poking to yourself, RD."

The two of them walked on in silence. Applejack noticed that it wasn't long until they came upon the corner which would lead to Flight Dreadwing's barracks. She had to say something now or waste this chance. "About the last fight…" she started again.

"It wasn't enough," Rainbow said quietly.

"What wasn't enough? Your Sonic Rainboom? But you broke through that wall!"

"I mean breaking the wall wasn't enough."

"Enough for what?" Applejack asked cautiously. She was getting somewhere here, she could feel it.

"Enough to…to…" Rainbow hesitated and looked away. Her wings twitched as if she was about to fly off without saying anything. Applejack understood the temptation. It seemed so much easier than trying to talk things out. But the pegasus pressed her lips tightly and shut her eyes, trying to gather some courage. "Enough to make up for what happened to you!" she blurted out.

Applejack frowned at the answer. "Now listen here. Nopony ever blamed you about what happened to me during that battle. Especially not me!"

"I blame me," Rainbow retorted. "I messed up. Badly. I have to do something to make up for it and the last battle wasn't enough!"

"And when will it be enough?" Applejack asked gently. "There ain't some dip stick you can use to tell if you've done enough."

"I'll…I'll just know," Rainbow insisted. "I have to go, Applejack. The Flight Captain's going to get angry if she catches me just hanging around instead of getting back to my duties."

Applejack nodded and the pegasus started to fly off. "Rainbow!" she called out at the last moment. Rainbow Dash hovered in mid air for a second. "Stay with us tonight."

Rainbow hesitated again, her eyes looking everywhere except at Applejack. "I'll try," she finally answered.

Applejack let herself smile. "I'll be waiting for you," she said. With that, Rainbow flew off while she made her way towards her platoon. That was all she was going to get from Rainbow today, but she was glad that there was at least something accomplished besides a hoof to the face for either of them.

* * *

><p>With Terrato's roar still ringing in her ears, Twilight Sparkle walked next to the two princesses. They were following a pair of guards to their quarters. Prince Terrato had assigned them to the best room in all of Bastion City, a room that had been prepared for him but he had decided to let his sisters use. Like all of Bastion City, even "the best room in the city" was modest at best.<p>

By the time Celestia was heading towards the bed, she was already having trouble staying on her hooves. Twilight and Luna stood by either side of her, ready to help as soon as it became necessary.

"The prince requests that you stay in this room until he gives the word otherwise, your higness," one of the guards told Celestia. His words were polite, but his tone underneath was flinty.

"What?" Twilight asked. "Is he going to keep her prisoner here?"

"We do as the prince commands, Legionnaire Sparkle," the guard replied. "You better remember that if you don't want another go at the whipping post."

"Twilight," Luna said sternly. She looked to the two guards and gave a nod of acknowledgement. "Thank you," she told them. "We'll do just that."

The two guards bowed respectfully at Luna, then left. "We will remain outside your door in case you need anything," one of them added before closing the door.

With the guards gone, Twilight was about to help her teacher lie down and get some rest when Celestia put a hoof on her shoulder. She looked up to find concern on her mentor's face. "Twilight, what did that guard mean by 'another go'?" Celestia asked.

Silently cursing at the guard for his poor choice of words, Twilight struggled to come up with an explanation. "W-well, what he meant was-!" She caught a passing glance at Princess Luna. It only took that for the younger princess to tell her wordlessly that the truth was the best option here. "That's because…that's because I've been whipped before, princess," she admitted.

"Big brother was going to execute the pony who gave her the trigger, big sister," Luna hastened to add when she saw Celestia's eyes widen. "Twilight agreed to be whipped alongside him to save his life."

Even though she was still wearing her mage-coat, Twilight felt as if the few remaining marks of the whip along her back lit up for her mentor to see. She closed her eyes, fearing an angry outburst. No such thing came.

"I'm sorry."

Hearing those words from Celestia left Twilight confused, she opened her eyes and looked up to her mentor's face. There was no outraged expression waiting for her, only a pained, sorrowful look that made her chest ache. "Princess, you don't-!"

"I was the one who ordered the division. Terrato did nothing more than enforce a law that I had set. I'm so sorry, Twilight."

Choking back a sob, Twilight stepped forward to hug Celestia, who returned the gesture tenderly. From afar, Luna watched the two of them with a smile. After a few moments of silence, Twilight spoke again. "Aren't you angry that I'm a legionnaire now?" she asked.

"No."

"But I-I did things that were…expected of legionnaires. The things you feared would only turn ponies into monsters like the wolven!"

Celestia didn't answer right away. For a moment, both Luna and Twilight feared that she was angry now that she was reminded of that fact. Still, there was no anger. Instead, Celestia stared ahead of her sadly before finally replying. "Just a few days ago, some ponies attacked the Royal Palace," she said. "They killed some of my guards while they were trying to steal the Elements of Harmony. When I got to the Chamber of Harmony and saw what they had done…" She paused and closed her eyes tightly for a second. "I was so angry that I…that I lashed out."

Still in an embrace, Twilight could feel Celestia tremble slightly.

"I have never killed a mortal before, pony or otherwise," Celestia continued. "It happened so quickly that I couldn't help but be frightened."

Twilight looked at her teacher in concern. "Princess…" she started. She felt Celestia's long exhale.

Celestia was quiet again. "But now I have done such a thing," she continued. She mustered a weak smile. "I've realized that I'm just as prone to anger and violence as any of my little ponies. Now that I've spent a little time talking to Luna and Terrato, I'm starting to think that I've been too hasty to judge." She pushed Twilight gently so she could look at her faithful student's eyes. Twilight glanced away, afraid of what her mentor would find if she looked too deeply. She also didn't want to see the reaction. If Celestia were to turn away in disgust or disappointment, she just knew that she would crumble on the spot. When she finally forced herself to glance briefly, however, she found neither.

"I want to see for myself what happens out here and to the ponies who live here," Celestia went on. "I want to know if there is a truth to what Terrato had been telling me. I want to see everything first before making a judgment again."

"Oh, princess," Twilight said joyously. "I knew you'd understand!"

Even Luna couldn't help but smile. "You should get some rest, big sister," she said.

Celestia nodded and lay down on the bed. The furs disconcerted her a little, but she quickly settled down and closed her eyes. With one more fond glance at Celestia, Twilight went over to Luna, who was sitting by a desk with a book. "You should be resting too, your highness," she said. "You really exerted yourself in that last fight."

"I'll be fine, Twilight Sparkle," Luna replied as she turned a page. "You should be going. I'm sure you have other duties as a legionnaire and I doubt playing nursemaid to two princesses is one of them."

"I will," Twilight replied. She walked over to Luna and looked over the princess's shoulder. "Doing some reading, your highness?" she asked. "Where'd you get those?" She looked at the title on the cover: "Barrier Lands Law".

"I had some of the guards get them during my last visit," Luna answered. When she noticed the quizzical look on Twilight's face, she elaborated on her choice of subject. "This wasn't how I wanted it to do so, but I knew this was going to happen eventually. Now that the division is over, I want to be prepared to rule over a united Equestria with my siblings. Knowing and understanding the laws that Terrato has laid down out here should help."

"Sounds like a good plan," Twilight remarked. "I'll be going then, princess." She didn't hide the admiration in her tone. She hadn't thought of things like that. The three siblings ruling together in a single Equestria…she had almost forgotten that the division's end should be a good thing because of the manner it ended. Her smile lessened when her thoughts turned towards Prince Terrato. It wasn't fear for her life that kept her silent amid all his shouting. She could feel his resentment boiling through his words. Even now, he confined his eldest sister to a room and planned things without her. If there was going to be a chance to unite Equestria, he was needed.

* * *

><p>The medical ward was quiet by the time Fluttershy made it back. After the initial rush of injured after the last battle, the activity in the place had slowed down to a peaceful crawl. She was thankful for that much at least. After she had returned to her duties, Doctor Redbrand had given her an earful which the other medics thought was too light after what they had gone through. For today, she hoped that the doctor was in a better mood. She spotted Redbrand from afar sitting quietly by his desk. There was that morose expression on his face again. She sometimes wondered if it was actually better if he was angrily shouting at ponies. Whenever he quieted down, he had that depressed expression which only served to highlight every line on his face. She was about to walk over and see if there was something she could do for him when she passed by two senior medics talking: Headwrap and Kneescrape as she recognized them.<p>

"Mail's finally here!" Headwrap said with a grin as he held up a bundle of letters. "First. its payday, now we get all our mail in one go!"

"Good thing the damn siege didn't last long or we'd have a mountain of them to sort out," Kneescrape muttered while Headwrap sorted through the bundle.

Noticing Fluttershy nearby, Headwrap looked at her. "You expecting mail, Fluttershy?" he asked with a smile.

"She's from the Heartland, idiot," Kneescrape remarked. "How is she supposed to get any mail?"

"I would love to get some mail, though," Fluttershy said. "Did you two get any?"

"Looks like I got one from my sister here," Headwrap said.

"Doubt I'd get any from my family," Kneescrape muttered. "Probably one from that mule, Goldtouch, telling me to pay off my debt."

"Here's one for Redbrand!" Headwrap said, his enthusiasm fading.

"Throw it away! It's probably his nag of a wife bleeding him dry again. Get rid of it and tell him that it must have gotten lost during delivery if he asks around. You'd be doing the old pony a favor."

"No way. If he finds out he'll saw my legs off."

"Doctor Redbrand has a wife?" Fluttershy interrupted.

"Not exactly something he likes to bring up," Headwrap replied. He gave an annoyed glance at Kneescrape before returning his attention to Fluttershy. "You're always on his good side, Fluttershy, you can give this to him."

Fluttershy nodded, then took the plain white envelope in her mouth. While the two continued to sort through the mail, she headed for Redbrand's desk.

"About time you came back!" Redbrand snapped at her as soon as she came closer. "Your pay's here." He gestured towards the pouch of bits on his desk. "What's that letter you've got there?"

Fluttershy handed the envelope over before replying. "It's from your wife," she said with some enthusiasm. Despite what Headwrap and Kneescrape were talking about earlier, she still felt that receiving letters from loved ones was a good thing.

"Bah! The money's on the way as it always is!" Redbrand groused. He opened the enveloped, glanced at the letter, then tossed it into a nearby waste bin. "I don't know why she has to waste time and paper reminding me every month."

"Aren't you happy that your wife sent you a letter?" Fluttershy asked in confusion.

"Ever been married, Fluttershy?" Redbrand asked. When Fluttershy shook her head, he snorted. "Thank your Princess Celestia or whoever. Nothing sours things between ponies like marriage." He waved a hoof dismissively and looked away. When Fluttershy didn't leave, he frowned and turned his attention back on her. "What in the hay do you still want?"

"Is that why you drink so much and look sad so often?"

"Terrato grind me, you're a stubborn filly!" Redbrand pulled out his flask and opened it only to catch a disapproving look from Fluttershy. He lowered the flask briefly and scowled. "You're cruel for keeping an old pony from the few comforts he can afford."

"You know that it doesn't work."

"And do you have an alternative?" Redbrand snorted again. Before he could take a drink however, Fluttershy moved closer and around his desk. A moment later, she had her forelegs around him.

"I'm sorry about your wife."

A moment of silence passed before Redbrand grumbled again. He had put the flask aside in the meantime. "I don't see what you're trying to do besides ending up smelling like a brewery on fire."

Hearing no protest, Fluttershy stayed that way for some time.

* * *

><p>"Don't they have some other pegasus for this?" Scarlet protested. "Why am I always getting tagged for special deliveries?"<p>

"Because you're the best pony for the job," Vanguard replied tersely. "These orders need to get to our agents down south as soon as possible and you're our fastest."

"Not for long," Scarlet replied with a grin.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You saw it, Captain! That sparkly, flashy exploding thing that Rainbow Dash did!"

"I believe it's called 'Sonic Rainboom'." Vanguard replied. He had asked Twilight about the move a day ago. He was certainly impressed but it also made him worry and he was now seeing why.

"She could beat me in a race," Scarlet said, his face now serious. "A fair race. If she did that Sonic Rainboom, she'd blow past me!"

Vanguard matched the serious tone with his own. "And if she fails like Overcast, are you going to go into a rage and beat her half to death?" he asked. "I'm not letting that happen again. If it does, mark my words there will be no cover up this time."

"There won't be a next time," Scarlet replied. "I know she can do it. Even Tailwind knows she can do it!"

"Take your weights off," Vanguard ordered. "We need you at your fastest."

With a shrug, Scarlet undid the straps on some of his barding, revealing what appeared to be a large strip of padded cloth wrapped around his torso. A few more straps and the cloth fell to the ground with a heavy, metallic clank.

Vanguard eyed the heavy metal bars grimly. The pavement had vibrated on impact. "Do not goad her into racing you, Scarlet," he said. He gripped the pegasus by his harness and pulled him closer. "I don't care if she stands a good chance at beating you. I'm asking as your friend and ordering you as an officer. If you race and she gets hurt, I will tie that noose around your neck myself.

"Okay, Captain. If you're that serious about it, I won't."

Vanguard let his friend go. "Good," he said. "One more thing. No more heavy drinking sessions with her."

"Now that's just unfair! We're just having good times! It's got nothing to do with racing!"

Vanguard let out a sigh and patted Scarlet on the shoulder. "I know," he said. "I know you mean well by being friendly, Scarlet, but your friendship is…well, like Storm Brew's 'Strong Stuff'. Not everypony is capable of dealing with it."

"Rainbow Dash can."

"No. She can't. She's like that filly who goes into a bar and pretends like she can hold her liquor while the rest of us laugh as staggers around. Keep some distance from now on alright?"

Scarlet practically deflated when he replied. "Alright, Captain. I'm taking off now then."

"Right, be on your way."

Vanguard blinked once and Scarlet was already gone. He tried to scan the sky for the pegasus, but he didn't even catch a silhouette. 'Of all the pegasi in Equestria to be gifted with that speed, why did it have to be you, Scarlet?' he silently asked.

With Scarlet dealt with for now, Vanguard went on with the rest of his duties.

* * *

><p>The sun was setting and Applejack was heading back to her shared quarters when she heard a familiar, deep-voiced growl of a voice call out her name from behind her. She turned around, a smile already on her lips. "Oh howdy, Vanguard," she said as the black-armored stallion walked up to her. "You done for the day?"<p>

"Almost." he said. "I was thinking of getting a drink. Would you like to join me?"

Applejack raised an eyebrow. "That's not Special Operations talk for catching more criminals is it?" she asked.

Vanguard chuckled. "No. There's going to be actual drinking involved this time. Scarlet mentioned that Storm Brew has a new batch of 'Good Stuff'."

"I reckon I can stay for a spell and be back to wait for Rainbow in time," Applejack said. The two of them turned at one corner. "By the way, thank you kindly for dealing with Scarlet Rabbit earlier."

"Did you get to talk with Rainbow Dash?"

"A little. It's going to take more than a talk or two to patch things up, but I'm just glad we took a step forward today."

"Good. I hope you don't take this against Scarlet. He means well. He just...perceives things differently."

Applejack nodded. The two of them finally reached Storm Brew's new brewery. They were just about to walk through the free-swinging double doors when a white unicorn mare with a bright purple mane that look like she had just been struck by lightning leaped over the counter to greet them. "Vanguard!" she called out. "I knew you'd come for this batch! Where's Scarlet and that new drinking buddy of his?"

"They're not coming, Storm Brew, we'll have some of that 'Good Stuff' though," Vanguard replied.

Applejack looked at Vanguard in surprise. "That's Storm Brew?" she asked. "I thought he-I mean she-!"

"Was some crusty, old, bearded stallion?" Storm Brew asked. "I get that often." She showed them over to the counter just as some more ponies stepped into the building. It wasn't long until both of them had a glass of the clear, crackling liquid in front of them.

"Is this going to shock me like it did Pinkie if I drink it?" Applejack asked. She looked at her drink as if it might explode.

"Only if you gulp it down," Vanguard replied before taking a sip. "This is a drink made for moderation."

Following his example, Applejack took a sip and grimaced, expecting an electric shock anyway. When none came, she licked her lips, pleasantly surprised at the tingly feeling in her mouth."She wasn't kidding with the name," she remarked. "This is good stuff!"

"And another convert joins up!" Storm Brew said with a laugh. "I don't know about all the things I keep hearing about the chosen but I know for sure that you have good taste." She looked over to Vanguard. "Figures you'd go for an earth pony," she said slyly.

"I get enough of that from my mother, Storm Brew," Vanguard replied.

With another laugh, Storm Brew left them to tend to the other customers. Vanguard unfastened his champron and set it on the bar. Applejack found herself staring. Vanguard wore his barding almost all the time so the sight of his face left her feeling…odd. His black, curly mane somehow remained carefully arranged despite being trapped in metal for long periods of time. A few locks proved rebellious and peeked down his eyes. She noticed her hoof moving on its own as if to brush them away. With a frown she consciously set it on the bar. 'What in tarnation…what was that all about?'

They sat there for a while, quietly sipping their drinks. It was Vanguard who spoke again. "So how are you holding up?" he asked.

"Holding up? What do you mean? My injury? It's fine. It doesn't hurt at all."

"I mean about Twocolt. The two of you were friends right?"

Applejack stared at her drink for a moment. "I should just be happy that his highness decided not to hang him," she said with a wistful smile. "That's good enough, right?"

"True."

They were quiet again. This time, it was Applejack who broke that. "So you need something?" she asked.

Vanguard raised an eyebrow. "A relaxing drink not enough?" he asked.

It was Applejack's turn to chuckle. "Not for you!"

"Alright, I'll get to it. I spoke with Commander Dreadstep today. He told me that you and the others are going to stay grouped as a squad to make use of the Elements of Harmony whenever they're needed. He's asked me to lead this squad whenever it's deployed in battle."

"So...does that mean you got promoted?" Applejack asked. She didn't like the idea of the Elements of Harmony being "deployed". It just didn't seem like what ponies should think about doing with them.

"More like a re-assignment. I assume that this squad is only needed for Nightmare Moon and possibly Black Rose."

"So why'd you need to talk to me about this?"

Vanguard looked at Applejack carefully. For some reason, she couldn't match his stare and had to look away. Perhaps it was the eyes, his wolven-eyes seemed too intense today.

"I need a vice-captain for this squad at least. I was thinking that you should take that position."

"Me?" Applejack asked in surprise. "But...but why not Twilight? Her magic's a lot more useful and stuff!"

"It's not power or utility I'm looking for. It's restraint. That's why I want you."

Applejack felt blood rush to her face. "Couldn't you have said that some other way?" she muttered.

Vanguard didn't seem to notice. "Well?" he asked.

"I…uh…well alright, Vanguard Clash. I'll do it."

"Thank you." Vanguard said with a smile. "That puts me at ease a bit."

Applejack emptied her glass hastily. The tingling sensation turned into a jolt that almost made her jump from her chair. Some of the liquid got caught in her throat, making her splutter. "Heh…all your dramatic talk's getting me flustered," she said. To make things worse, Vanguard put a hoof on her back, forcing her to look away to hide her face.

"Take it easy, vice-captain." Vanguard said. "We've got work tomorrow."


	48. Faithful Students

**Upheaval: Breaking Point**

**Chapter 48: Faithful Students**

"Our nearest contingent is about a week from where the barrier used to be, your highness," Commander Moon Haze of the Southern Equestrian Legion said. The unicorn's remaining blue eye, the other one long since lost to an ophidite sniper, gleamed with intensity. The rest of her face showed no emotion.

"Our nearest contingent will take longer, around ten days at best," Commander Stonewall of the Western Equestrian Legion added. He frowned as he said that, clearly frustrated that his projections were not as good as the previous lines of age around his face, combined with the myriad of scars around it made it look like his hide had turned into crumpled parchment.

"We're five days to the barrier from SummerSteel City, your highness," Commander Frostbite of the Northern Equestrian Legion said. There was no mistaking the grin of confidence that split his lips. Several gold teeth shone from his mouth, almost as if they were carefully polished just for this moment. "I guarantee a batch of chosen recruits in a week once you give an order!"

Within his new personal quarters in Bastion City's Grand Meeting Hall, Prince Terrato nodded to acknowledge the reports coming from the magical images his Legion Commanders. Not even half an hour after an audience with his sisters and the Elements of Harmony and he was already hearing responses from his orders. "Let me be perfectly clear on this," he told them sternly. "The Legion is going to the Heartland to acquire resources both in ponies and materials. 'Reprisals' of any sort from legionnaires who had a problem with the barrier will be punished severely. Do you understand?"

"Yes, your highness," all three replied.

Terrato dismissed the communication spell and stared at his room's fireplace. Dreadstep had been about to vacate his quarters to give to him, but he refused. He took a bit of pleasure in reminding his subjects what his title actually meant. Shaping stone came easily to him, even when he was tired. With a single spell, the Grand Meeting Hall had another room, complete with a fireplace. It was modest in size and amenities not only to suit his tastes, but also because he refused to stay in a better room than Celestia.

With his orders given out and the Legion moving smoothly for now, Terrato let himself relax for some time. Already, the tasks ahead were looming over him. He wanted that decree from Celestia as soon as possible, but he was certainly not going to go around rushing her. The transition was going to be a complicated process as well. Ideally, once the chosen should move on their own once Celestia's decree started spreading. He could expect volunteers to line up and resources on the move. Of course "ideally" would never happen, especially since after what he had seen when he visited Canterlot.

Terrato shook his head and reminded himself that he shouldn't expect his sister to run her realm similarly to how he did his. Judging her capital city by his standards and tastes would be unfair. Still, the glaring colors, the excessive luxuries…he wrinkled his nose in disgust. Though it disturbed him, he did feel an urge to cause an earthquake then and there to see if these ponies could pull it together during a crisis or if Celestia's capital truly was a hive of useless fops. That the other settlements in the Heartland might be the same filled him with concern.

Recruitment was only one part of his concerns and it wasn't even the first. He gave the Legion six months to produce an army of reserves. In those six months, he should have FangBreaker back and operational so he could launch his invasion in the spring. Six months was optimistic. If Celestia's chosen proved to be uncooperative just how many legionnaires would he have to send over to subdue them? He couldn't afford a civil war even if it was his well-trained army against a horde of pie-throwing foals. Converting the Heartland's resources would be a problem all on its own even if the chosen were completely cooperative. That wasn't even mentioning the impact on their economy. He was likely going to take away their hardest workers, then make them supply the Legion on top of supporting themselves. He also didn't expect them to start producing weapons and other materials at top-notch quality when they've never had to for centuries. Experts from the Barrier Lands would have to be sent to teach them and set up the proper industries.

And that was merely the problems within Equestria. Outside it was a different set of problems. Arugek and Sesyth were likely on the move. The two have been silent for too long.

He cast aside the worries for now. Tomorrow morning, reports would be coming in after his initial plans were carried out. That would be the time to be bothered by all of this. As his mind went to other matters, he concentrated on a spell, pulling a bundle of letters from his personal, extra-dimensional space. He sorted them out with his telekinesis, letting them float in front of him while he read.

_Dearest Prince Terrato,_

_It has been a couple of days since I arrived here in Stoneguard Fortress. The situation is rather dire at the moment: resources are scarce, morale is low, and the ursans are firmly entrenched in the area. I sincerely apologize for fearing that you would send me someplace "safe" for my first assignment and I thank you for this opportunity to test myself. As a start, I thoroughly investigated this fortress and found Commander Rich Soil guilty of willful negligence and mismanagement so I had him executed. He's still hanging by the courtyard as I write this letter. Most of the fort's legionnaires have taken well to my decision, but his family appears to be the vengeful type. I'm going to have to keep eyes on them and make sure those eyes are attached to armed legionnaires._

_Your faithful student,_

_Black Rose_

Stoneguard Fortress. Terrato remembered that place well. Stoneguard had been a problem spot, once referred to by legionnaires as "the ursan meat locker" for its high casualty rate. It was her first step, the beginning of her rise. Though faced with a daunting task, her elegant, curving script spoke only of supreme confidence even during her first assessment.

_Dearest Prince Terrato,_

_Today I had the opportunity to apply your "doomed spies" lecture. We caught a couple of worthless ponies who were planning on deserting this morning. I offered them both a pardon and a chance to be transferred to a less dangerous post if they would deliver a secret message while posing as food delivery to a nearby outpost. I then filled them with false information and sent them through a route that we knew that the ursans were watching. My scouts told me that the ursans hadn't even mentioned torture when they started talking. Of course, the ursans caught hold of my "secret plans" and placed their troops accordingly. An entire company of them walked right into our prepared ambush resulting in a glorious victory for the day. I can only hope I have more opportunities to apply your teachings._

_Your faithful student,_

_Black Rose_

She received just that. The pride of seeing his protégé excel using the skills he taught her was one of the most wonderful things he had ever felt. When he learned that Celestia herself had a student, he could understand the reason even if he knew where that path would eventually lead.

_Dearest Prince Terrato,_

_Things have become rather interesting these past few days. My scouts report of a growing rift between the ursan commander, Gro-bor-haf and one of his more popular warriors, Dro-reg-rob. It seems our recent victories have resulted in a questioning of their commander's leadership. I think this is the time to finish them off. I'm about to launch a two-pronged attack on their main camp during which I will personally lead a force to inflict heavy casualties on Gro-bor-haf's forces while having the ponies engaging Dro-reg-rob retreat. The effects should be telling._

_Your faithful student,_

_Black Rose_

_Dearest Prince Terrato,_

_I am writing to you right now from the ursan camp. It's only been a few hours since our second assault. When the dust settled from the first one, I had my scouts check up on the ursans. As planned, the ruckus of their in-fighting was so loud that I was already preparing troops before the scouts even returned. The final attack was rather disappointing. There was just a hoof-ful of ursans either too injured from all the fighting or drunk from their "celebration" of their new leader. For a none-too-bright brute, Dro-reg-rob has surprisingly soft fur. He'll make a fine rug and I shall have a wonderful present for you upon my return. I look forward to my next assignment._

_Your faithful student,_

_Black Rose_

A knock on Terrato's door brought a frown to his face. With a wave of his hoof, he sent the letters back to his extra-dimensional space. "You should be resting by now," he said sternly when the door opened.

Luna entered the room despite the harsh welcome. "And your temper should have cooled by now," she replied.

Terrato turned around, quietly swearing that, if Luna looked bedraggled enough, he was going to wrap her in chains and put her back in her quarters. He relented when he saw her. She did look a little better despite the short time. Again, he realized that he was underestimating her. "How is Celestia?" he asked.

Luna let out a sigh. "She's fine. If you're so worried you should visit her."

Terrato returned to staring at the fire place. "After threatening to force the truth on her chosen if she didn't tell them followed by shouting her student down and smashing a door in front of her?"

"I don't understand you, big brother. There is nopony in this entire world who cares more for big sister, but you keep ending up like this."

Terrato smiled morosely. "Clearly I've been going about things wrongly. You're still on a roll, little sister, advise me."

Luna raised an eyebrow, unsure if he was serious or not. Eventually, she decided to humor him this time. "You can start by not picking on her student from now on," she said. "For both their sakes."

"I never picked on that grape of a pony."

"You had her whipped and you just shouted her down a while ago."

"First of all, I didn't have her whipped. I was going to have her friend hanged as the laws dictated, but she decided that she had a better grasp of those laws. She should consider it a favor on my part that I let her be whipped."

"And the shouting her down part?"

Terrato's smile disappeared. That was just an hour or so ago and thinking about it was still irritating. "What about it? I'd say she knows that I'm not going to kill her because Celestia values her greatly and she's an integral part of the Elements of Harmony, so she's flaunting that fact by tempting fate repeatedly."

"Twilight Sparkle is a good pony, big brother. She came to this place by her own will to help out. At a great cost, I might add. You make her sound like a smug, spoiled filly hiding behind our sister when you can see how hard she's fighting."

Terrato snorted. "Well, both can be true, can't they?"

"Please try to get along better with her. I'm sure big sister would be able to relax more around you if you treated her student well."

"Alright, Luna. If it makes you feel any better, I'm not going lose my temper with Celestia's precious little student again. I will still enforce my laws strictly and the next time she's slated for thirty lashes, she gets thirty."

"I suppose that's good enough for now."

"Now that the small matters are out of the way, tell me what you really came here for."

As Terrato expected, his sister fell silent. A small part of him sensed that this was the time he would come over and assure her that she could tell him anything and that he would listen calmly and reasonably. The rest of him, however, already had an idea of what this might be about. Those parts were all perfectly fine with it if she was overcome with nervousness and decided not to go through with it after all. Luna did speak again, however. For the first time, Terrato was less than pleased by his little sister's new-found courage and initiative.

"I want to talk about your student this time."

Terrato didn't need to look at Luna to tell that she approached the subject nervously. Black Rose. Of course she wanted to talk about Black Rose. The thought of simply saying nothing until Luna went away was tempting. Let the others see Black Rose as simply a deranged and rebellious student of his and leave it at that. "Go on," he said, consigning himself to the painful recollection that followed. He deserved this after all.

"How did she do that, big brother? No matter how gifted she is, she shouldn't have the knowledge to transform herself like that! The only way to even put together such magic would be to-!"

"Glean it from the Eternal Herd," Terrato said. If he was going to tell the truth about this, he may as well get to the point. "You already have your suspicions, Luna. Out with them."

"Then it's true," Luna said sadly. "You taught her the means. I didn't even think it was possible. But why? And how?"

"How would the reason and the method matter now?" Terrato asked angrily. He rounded on Luna so quickly that she hastily took a couple of steps back. "It was a stupid and reckless mistake from a long time ago and it doesn't change what we have to deal with right now!"

"It's not about changing our situation now," Luna said in a more subdued tone. "I just thought it would put you more at ease if you told somepony."

Terrato caught himself, realizing that he was lashing out again when he should be coming clean. 'So this is for me, is it?' He snorted at the thought. He went back to staring at the fireplace. "I've already told you of how important Black Rose was to me, remember?" he said.

"Yes," Luna replied cautiously. "She was your greatest legionnaire and companion."

"She was also mortal," Terrato added. "And that never left my mind. It didn't matter how many victories she won or how many favors I showered her with. I knew that she was closer to death with each passing day." Now that he started talking about it, Terrato recalled those days. Such a strange time it was when looked back to them: days of fierce pride, nights of fiercer passion, and those waking hours when it was just him, an ache in his chest and a growing sense of dread inevitability. Faced with Luna's questioning eyes, he went on, forcing himself to talk past the melancholy. "Black Rose changed everything. I didn't care for these mortals. They were just tools to fulfill Celestia's wishes, statistics and resources. Black Rose was different. Oh, I tried reminding myself that they were all meant to die and that they were going to be happy in the Eternal Herd. I just…" He raised a hoof as if to stomp against the ground, but he lowered it at the last moment. "…I just couldn't bear facing the future without her."

Terrato's face hardened. He never thought that what he did next it was a good idea. He knew what the consequences were. The stupidity lay in that he wholly believed in its necessity. "So I decided to do something about it," he continued. "Each mortal pony, no matter how far removed from their ancestors, has a spark of Oceanus within. A spark of alicornhood so to speak. If I could somehow enhance that, I could make Black Rose into one of us and have her rule by my side."

Luna pressed her lips together. It was easy for Terrato to tell that she already pieced it together. Here was the sixth rebellion at last. It was a law given to all of the Eternal Herd when the first mortal ponies crawled from the blood of Oceanus: do not tamper with their final fate. Lexarius had broken that law by trapping the souls of ponies in this world in a vain attempt to keep what he was doing from the Eternal Herd. "I went as far as to contact the Eternal Herd," he went on. "From the lore I gathered, I created the Ascendancy Ritual, a spell that would grant Black Rose the power of an alicorn. But to enhance that spark, it had to be fed the sparks of others. If I wanted to extend Black Rose's life, I needed to sacrifice other ponies."

Luna's eyes widened. "You didn't…" she whispered. "Did you do exactly that?"

"I was determined to," Terrato replied. "Everything was ready. I had a village to the south about to be "overrun" by ophidite raiders." He closed his eyes. "But I decided against it at the last moment. I destroyed my research and consigned myself to watching Black Rose eventually fade away." His voice grew harsh. That was the turning point. It was at that moment that he had realized that his faithful student was gone and a monster of his own making had taken her place. "Black Rose discovered my work anyway. She recreated the Ascendancy Ritual and secretly began to use it."

Terrato thrust a hoof towards the fire. Despite being so close, he could barely feel any warmth from the flames. How many ponies had Black Rose fed on before he killed her? He didn't know. What he knew was that they would have been fewer if he wasn't so blind. Memory was a strange thing. When had he really found out about the truth and how long did it take for him acknowledge it enough to act? How many years did he spend trying to convince himself that Black Rose was merely aging very, very slowly?

Silence, thick and distancing, fell across the room.

"Say it," Terrato finally said after some time.

"What?"

"Say what's on your mind. Say that this is all my fault. I gave Black Rose the means to become what she is today. My selfish desires and blind infatuation caused all of this."

Luna shook her head. "You're looking at the wrong pony if you're looking for blame, big brother," she said. "You're forgetting that I've made my mistakes too. So has big sister."

"So you have." Terrato replied. "So much for being the best choice as stewards of this world."

Luna set aside her own fear towards her brother and walked to his side. "Black Rose was not just the start of something bad, big brother," she told him. "You've come to care about all mortals afterwards didn't you? That's a good thing."

Terrato snorted and put a foreleg around Luna. "The moon is at its most beautiful during the winter, little sister," he said with a smile. "Is that why you're on such a roll?"

Luna smiled at the compliment. The two of them stared quietly at the fire for some time, wishing that the future would share even the slightest bit of its brightness.

* * *

><p>Standing by the ruins of her old tower, Black Rose watched with a smile as the sun descended into the horizon and the heat of day gave way to comforting shadow. The transition between day and night quickly became her favorite part of her new responsibility. It required a certain degree of cooperation between her and Princess Luna, whose job it was to raise the moon as she lowered the sun. She liked to think that despite the tragic, but necessary harm she had to do to Celestia, the Princess of the Night would be impressed, even slightly, by how quickly she took to her new role.<p>

She made her way through the rubble, daintily picking through the pieces of obsidian and indulging in feelings of nostalgia. Prince Terrato had raised this tower for her, fashioning it from her favorite material. During the height of her command of the Legion, the tower was the most beautiful structure in all of the Barrier Lands. It was an elegant tapering structure of gleaming blackness where she spent many a day crafting plan after plan to bring more glory to her prince's realm. And the nights…she closed her eyes and let the familiar feelings flow through her. These past days have been one thrilling improvisation after another. Now that she was at this stage, she had some time to relax before starting the next part of her plans.

She stood right before the great pillar of rock that her beloved had used to crush her. It was a rather crude and brutal end for somepony like her. When she had found out that he was already heading for her home, she had imagined that scenario to have a bit more intimacy...more passion: a knife to the heart up close, a strangling with his bare hooves…having a giant rock drop on her head was rather impersonal. Perhaps, should another opportunity present itself, Terrato would choose more to her taste.

A second one would have to be placed in the far future. Preparing for the first one required immense resources and careful planning in the form of hundreds of stasis clones scattered all throughout the Barrier Lands, a few even being carefully hidden in enemy territory. Most of them were eventually rooted out and destroyed by her mentor, but all she needed was one to survive so she could anchor herself to this world. To increase her chances, she had placed them in a dormant state to make detection more difficult, even at the cost of leaving her in stasis for several centuries. And it did just that. Seven hundred years passed before she awoke to continue her plans, plans that required even more time. It was just in time as well. She had predicted that Nightmare Moon's return would move King Fenrir to make a major assault and she had awakened before that required time.

Black Rose's thoughts went fondly towards a certain unicorn mare. Twilight Sparkle, even the name was music to her ears. She had braced herself for watching more of her beloved Equestria being ravaged by a horde of wolven before the opportunity to act arrived. Instead, she witnessed the miracle that was Twilight Sparkle's rebellion. The change that mare brought with her was…exhilarating. To her, it was as if the entire world accelerated upon the arrival of Twilight Sparkle. The rebels that she had resigned herself to keeping alive for a long time were rendered obsolete after merely aiding the fall of FangBreaker Fortress. The wolven had barely penetrated the north when Celestia was ready to be brought to the Barrier Lands. There was no need to wait for Sun Gazer to educate his children about "the conspiracy" let alone his grand children and there was certainly no more need to keep "The Order of True Equestrians" around. All the tools she had carefully procured and maintained over the years since she awakened had all been thrown out the window by a purple chosen unicorn and her band of loyal friends.

It wasn't just the acceleration that excited her. She was presented with an interesting group of adversaries in the form of the Elements of Harmony, a challenge that she was more than glad to accept. She already had plans laid out for each one of them thanks to the extensive profiling that Spike had provided her during that one morning in Bastion City. To implement each of them would be a wonderful time indeed.

Upon arriving at her destination, Black Rose set aside the excited anticipation for a while. At a small, untended corner of her island were several unmarked graves. Throughout the centuries they had remained untouched. She was glad that the legion respected her enough to leave her home alone despite her "death". Here, she sacrificed her most loyal servants in preparation for her demise and transition into the future. She concentrated on her new power and channeled it through spells she had long researched from the ancient library of Lexarius himself. She could sense the spirits of her favored servants. They were trapped by enchantments that a powerful pony from the Eternal Herd itself had developed, then they were kept dormant to keep them from being noticed. Arcs of powerful magic coursed through the ground and crackled all around her as her summons awakened them.

The shadows coalesced and her former officers materialized one by one. There was no need for words. With a sound like the quick passing of a gentle breeze, they recognized her and what her presence meant. All they needed now were physical bodies which she would have to craft or procure some time soon. She frowned upon seeing that, of the six she had preserved, only four had arisen. The spells around the remaining two had somehow deteriorated, causing them to cross over to the Eternal Herd.

'Such a shame,' she thought. 'And I wanted to pit my six against Celestia's. It looks like I'm going to have to acquire two new ones from the Legion…perhaps even the Heartland.' She let out a brief laugh, then turned her gaze towards the beautiful winter moon out tonight. How bright the future looked. How clear and sublime just like Princess Luna's moon.

"Just a little more, beloved," she whispered. "I promise."


End file.
